


Dark Angel's Fire I thru IV

by thebasement_archivist



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-12-15
Updated: 2000-12-15
Packaged: 2018-11-20 12:55:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 67,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11335962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebasement_archivist/pseuds/thebasement_archivist
Summary: Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived atThe Basement, which moved to the AO3 to ensure the stories are always available and so that authors may have complete control of their own works. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address onThe Basement's collection profile.





	Dark Angel's Fire I thru IV

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Basement](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Basement), which moved to the AO3 to ensure the stories are always available and so that authors may have complete control of their own works. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Basement's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thebasement/profile).

 

Dark Angel's Fire by Megaera

Dark Angel's Fire I - Assumption  
by Megaera

Feedback to   
RATING NC-17  
CONTENT WARNING m/m. Some violence.  
SPOILERS None, but not unrelated to a second season encounter with a slit pupilled schoolmarm who promised Mulder another encounter with demons.  
DISCLAIMER I don't own any character from the X-Files, I'm only borrowing them for my own entertainment and hopefully, other peoples. No copyright infringement is intended. However the character Kulain the Demonlord is entirely mine.  
COMMENTS What would happen if a new and formidable player came on the conspiracy scene, with his own agenda and a few unusual abilities. Hopefully more episodes to follow starring Alex Krycek in (3/5)

* * *

Dark Angel's Fire I  
Assumption  
by Megaera

*The air rippled with the sound of thunder as the chant went on, weaving through the cavern. Then the flash of lightning heralded a coming storm. Oddly, the thunder seemed to be throbbing in time to the voices, then, even as the storm broke, one final crash of thunder far louder than all the others. A terrible howling then and the way was clear. He came through where a way had been forced, the first of many, as was fitting for the most powerful of his kind. The prey fled in terror for they had not really expected such as he. Then he called the storm to him and howled his joy to the open sky in joy at his freedom. Now would come a reckoning.*

Mulder's head was throbbing in time to the sinuous beat of the drumming as the title track to `Bad Boys` played on his car stereo. Perhaps that last whisky had been one too many. Still, he hadn't expected to be driving all the way to the Appalachians on such short notice. Some superflu bug had attacked the agents in the local FBI field office and a request had been made at a very high level for him. He wondered what the mystery was all about.

The first thing that Mulder had seen that morning when he walked through his office door was a memo from Skinner, giving him less than an hour to grab his sports bag from the office closet that contained a change of clothes. Then a six hour drive up into the mountains to find a small town tucked away in a deep valley up North. His only piece of information was a request to contact the local sheriff, Kevin Lane when he got to the old mining town of Lost Hope.

Driving into the town at last, he could see why the place had been given such a dismal name. Most of the shops appeared shut or deserted, with peeling paint and more than one layer of clinging dirt. The sheriff's office was at the end of the long, straight main street. Surprisingly it appeared clean and well tended, although surely there wasn't enough crime in this one horse town for it to merit more than one or two deputies.

Walking in through the swing doors, Mulder again felt a start of surprise. He had expected an old, worldly wise country figure, but Lane was quite a young man, in his early twenties, with a shock of dark hair and a thin angular face. His intense green eyes were the most outstanding feature in his innocent looking face, and something about his expression suggested a rebellious attitude to life.

With a sigh, Mulder pulled out his badge and offered it to the young deputy on the front desk. The youngster's eyes widened and he yelled "Sheriff Lane!" at the top of his voice. Who knows, Mulder reflected, this was probably the most excitement this town had seen since the Civil War.

Lane turned towards him and smiled, and something in his face made Mulder reassess his first impression of the man. Just for a moment there was something cat-like and secretive in his face. Still, if he could just get his work done and get out of there, Mulder would take great pleasure in never having to think about Lost Hope again.

With a gesture, Lane invited Mulder into his office. "Sit down, agent Mulder, we've been waiting for you for most of the morning."

Mulder felt an instant dislike to this smart Alec... .who did he think he was... this journey had better be worthwhile.... not like that time in Oregon when he'd travelled three days through the winter blizzards to view a yeti corpse that turned out to be a gorilla escaped from a circus and left rotting for months.

Lane, ignoring any preliminary chat, flung down a photo on the desk in front of him.

"What do you think of that Mulder?"

The photo showed a group of middle aged naked men and women apparently dancing around a campfire.

Mulder felt his headache abruptly intensify. He had been brought halfway across the country on another witch-hunt, a literal one this time. Somehow keeping a rein on his temper, he picked up the shot and studied it more closely. None of the people were clearly identifiable. "I think the people in this town need a lot more exercise," he muttered.

Unexpectedly, Lane grinned, then he put down the second picture. Abruptly, Mulder's hair stood on end, and his throat was suddenly far drier than half a night of Scotch could account for.

The second snap showed the same group of people, but this time it was apparent that they were in some huge underground cavern. What gave the scene its extra illumination was the somehow luminous figure that had materialised above the fire. It was a figure from his darkest nightmares, a huge powerfully muscled man-like torso, but with an utterly inhuman face and midnight eyes that seemed to suck the light from the little office. The creature's skin was lightly scaled and it had a pointed tail. What completed the demonic impression was the huge talons that curled from its fingertips.

He knew in some inner recess of his mind that the picture wasn't a hoax. There was something in his own body's response that was the prey animals' response to the predator. A deep instinctive terror inside him that made him want to get up out of the chair, run to his car and get the hell out of town.

The sheriff's grin had become quite smug as he watched Mulder's reaction. No, not quite as naive a man as his youth implied.

"Impressive, Huh!", he smirked.

"What happened to the photographer? Can I ask him some questions about this?," Mulder asked quietly.

Disappointed, the sheriff shook his head.

"The headless torso of a man was found on Highway 171 last night. There was only this camera on him. When we developed these, we called the local FBI boys and they referred us to you."

The sheriff shrugged. "The response was quite quick when we faxed them these snaps."

Mulder groaned. No wonder everyone had been so eager for him to get on the case.

Lane stood up.

"C'mon, I can take you to the crime scene before the light fades, but it isn't pretty. And we still haven't found the head..."

For the next two days Mulder, with a growing sense of discomfort, interviewed reluctant witnesses, joined searches in the woodland and, in effect, found nothing. At least five other people had vanished from the town, leaving homes and possessions untouched. The people of the town were as ugly a bunch of losers, trash and no-hopers as he had ever met, but even with no leads he could still feel their uneasiness. A storm was coming and most people knew it, and had fled. Mulder decided to go down to the bar that night to get a beer and listen to what the locals were saying. He knew how things had been in town, but when he walked into the bar the last thing he expected was to find himself in the middle of a bar fight. His only warning was a blur approaching him from one side then the pool cue crashed into the side of his head, and he went down.

Dimly he was aware that at least five other men were fighting, and somehow, through the dizziness, he managed to curl his body up protectively. Then a boot connected with his side and darkness swallowed him.

*The dark became shot through with lightning and from a great distance he seemed to hear a deep chanting, that echoed to the beating of his heart. Talons seemed to lift him up and his body was shredded into a million fragments that whirled through the night. Then he was aware of gut clenching , nauseating fear and a sense of contamination, as if the demon foulness was somehow inside him.*

Abruptly he awoke, then wished that his body hadn't moved. A wave of pain made him scream out, as head and ribs protested. Gentle fingers placed something cool and soothing on his aching head and rubbed his side.

He lay still and unmoving, letting that gentle touch work wonders on his aching body, and only then did he open his eyes. He was in his bedroom at the motel, and Lane was sitting on the side of the bed, with a cloth soaked in water. The young sheriff gently reached out, stroking the ugly bruise on his cheek, his fingers moved the cloth in small circles, featherlight and almost tender. Lane seemed to be taking his time over the small task, then he grinned and slid his fingers down Mulder's bruised cheek and towards his throat. Involuntarily Mulder blushed. He wasn't used to such almost intimate touches from another man.

"Let me see your side," he said and gently began to open Mulder's shirt. Then the feel of hands against Mulder's skin, sending a rush of heat through him. Such an erotic gesture for one man to undress another. He pulled away, then realised how stupid the violent movement was, as a jolt of pain stabbed through his ribs. The young sheriff looked slightly hurt, then shrugged.

"I came by to tell you I have a lead, but then I had to pull you out of trouble." He frowned. "Anyway, I have to see someone tonight. You look too beat up to come along, but I'll give you a full report tomorrow."

Then Lane gave a slightly lopsided smile ."Are you sure you can manage to undress yourself?" he said slyly, then seeing Mulder's surprise, smirked and left.

Mulder soon realised that maybe some things do need help when you're so dizzy you can't see straight. Giving up, he fumbled some painkillers into his hand and, half dressed, fell into an uneasy and dream haunted sleep. His last thought was that this town really gave him monster headaches.

*The demon howled its rage at the sky. The intruders angered it, others of its kind who lurked terrified in the shadows, wary of its power. The human hovered at the edge of its perception, restless in sleep. Such dark pleasures could be promised in dreams, but the demon felt that this human had a core of light in his soul that must be overcome in a different and altogether more subtle way. A plan came to him, and seeing no faults, he gathered his forces and reached out.*

The hammering on the door woke Mulder out of his haunted sleep, and he painfully made his way to the door. The young deputy stood there, looking slightly more grubby than the last time Mulder had seen him. He unhappily tried to peer past Mulder, and when that was unsuccessful, he blurted out uncomfortably

"Is the Sheriff here? The last time we saw him he was coming here." Mulder realised in sudden embarrassment that the deputy thought Lane had spent the night. Apparently, some things in the country weren't as traditional as they used to be.

"If he's not here then he's gone missing", the young deputy burst out.

The state police the sheriff's office and the highway patrol all began a search, but without success, so it was a complete surprise to Mulder to receive a cryptic note when he got back to his room that night.

//Come to the junction of highway 171 and route 223 at midnight I'll explain everything. L.//

The one thing Mulder knew was how stupid it would be to walk into some possible trap, but the young, sensuous, infuriating sheriff wasn't a fool either. It was hard to imagine him being caught out.

Mulder compromised. He would go to the meeting place, but earlier than expected, and he would have back-up waiting. That is, if the deputy could find the business end of his gun.

The night was cold and very dark when Mulder arrived at his rendezvous. The deputy and two state troopers were waiting half a mile down the road and would at least hear if he had to open fire. The chosen meeting place was in a forest clearing, near an old logging track, and a wind was already making the trees whip around wildly, casting eerie shadows as they came into view of his headlights.

He switched off the lights as he stepped out of the car and moved towards the concealment offered by the trees. Then he became aware that what he had taken to be the low moaning of the wind in the distance, was in fact a deep chanting, a hum so soft yet it seemed to resonate in his bones. There was something almost subterranean about it, and moving quietly he began to move towards the source of the sound. Perhaps the Sheriff had tracked down the place where the photos were taken then run into trouble.

As he came close to the spot where the coven met, he could see flickering light through the trees. A great bonfire had been built at the entrance to a huge cavern in the side of the hill. Creeping silently through the concealment of the trees, he could see many of the worshippers dancing frenziedly near the cavern mouth. But none of them went inside, and he felt a prickle of fear down his spine at the thought of that picture, although the rational part of his mind found the thought of a real demon difficult to accept.

As he approached, he saw a hooded figure detach itself from the crowd and move past the fire, unnoticed. It had to be Lane, surely. The frenzy of dancing among the crowd was beginning to turn into something darker and more lustful, and he shivered, as he could see many of them fall towards each other in a maelstrom of kissing, biting, licking, fucking, irrespective of sex or age. He recognised the maid from his hotel madly bouncing up and down on top of a biker, a shopkeeper begging two old women to use their mouths. Mulder shuddered in revulsion, unaware that his own body was beginning to sway in time to that terrible chant.

Decisively, he ran towards the tunnel in the hillside.

The sudden quiet darkness was a sinister contrast to the noise and hubbub outside. He had to feel his way cautiously inside the tunnel and his footsteps seemed oddly magnified in the darkness. The tunnel walls were moist, and there was a musky smell vaguely reminiscent of the ocean. Somehow it conjured up in his mind the memory of those writhing bodies outside. There was some sort of light ahead, but it couldn't be another fire as the light seemed to be tinged with green, reinforcing the impression that he was a thousand fathoms under the sea. Finally he came to the opening of the tunnel, and drawing his gun, he cautiously peered in. There was no sign of any hooded figure, or for that matter, any vicious demon waiting to ambush him. It was evident, however, that this was the place in the picture, there were the ashes of the fire to prove it.

He moved forward into the cave and was totally unprepared for the sudden weight dropping down on him from above, slamming him into the ground and knocking his gun away into the shadows at the edge of the cave. His attacker also slammed a fist into his injured side and for long moments all he could do was gasp and try to hold onto his consciousness. When the pain receded, he found himself unarmed and helpless, his opponents' foot pressing down on the back of his neck.

"How nice of you to join the party Agent Mulder. Did you like our little note? The master will be so pleased that you decided to join us."

He heard the words of the acolyte in disbelief. No wonder Lane hadn't gone through official channels, if his deputy was one of the ringleaders.

"Where's Lane, did you kill him?" Mulder managed to gasp the words as he was hauled upright by two hooded men.

"The sheriff isn't available at the moment, he's entertaining the master," was the sniggering reply.

Something about the way he said those last two words sent a chill through Fox, then something sweet smelling on a cloth was pressed against his mouth and nose. He tried not to breathe, but his head began to swim with dizziness, then came the inevitable darkness.

Waking felt so strange. His brain felt oddly fuzzy and he could feel a draught of cool air against his skin. As memory returned, he wondered distantly why he was still alive, and then he realised that he was naked, lying half covered on a pile of silken sheets that seemed to be tangled round his legs.

"So," that voice soft and sinuous, nearby. "The fox leaves his lair to hunt and becomes the hunted."

Mulder tried to turn and look at the speaker, but a wave of dizziness swept over him and he fell back onto the sheets. His body wouldn't seem to work properly and he gasped in frustration.

"The effects will last for some hours," a sensuous whisper, and Mulder moaned feverishly as the dark voice seemed to weave its way into the corners of his mind. Somehow he clung to the thought of Lane and the other missing people who must be the Master's hostages

"Who are you? What do you want?". He could at least try and question his captor.

Laughter, that seemed to wind its way into his bones, both sensuous and cruel. Fingers trailing across his forehead, a touch soft as a feather, that felt incredibly intimate. Like when the sheriff had tried to seduce him, but incredibly magnified. *No!* It wasn't possible to get aroused from a simple touch like that. In spite of his certainty, he felt his body reacting.He sensed the others' amusement, but the caress continued, gentlybrushing his tangled hair away from his eyes.

"You wished to know this towns secrets Fox Mulder. I am the keeper of those secrets." A pause. "What is it you wished to know?"

Mulder forced his mind away from his body's strange reaction. "I want to know where Lane is."

"The sheriff will continue to be in my power, Fox, unless you give me something you prize dearly."

Mulder shivered, there were hints in that voice of vast darkness, that seemed to weave its way into his brain so that it was hard to breathe. His skin seemed to have caught fire, and the words were like satin brushing against his body.

"What do you want from me?" It was increasingly hard to hold onto reality. There was a wrongness about his captor, the way his body acted, the way his instinct was screaming at him to run. Yet at the same time, he wanted to fall on his knees before the owner of that voice. To open himself to those darkest desires, to feel that body against his.

"Give me yourself for one night Fox, and I will free my captives and leave here."

It was out in the open now, a type of unholy bargain; he knew that if he were to reject it, that barely suppressed violence he sensed would erupt into the open. Again his body's response caught him by surprise. The wave of desire, of burning need. So overpowering.

"If you give me your word." Mulder found himself whispering the words.

"Done!" A hiss of amusement. Then the speaker moved round the bed, and finally came into his sight. And laughed as the human screamed, tried to flee, then whimpered in terror as he realised how well he'd been manipulated.

*The human shrank back against the satin sheets, his eyes wide with terror. Such a delicious sight. Reaching out to touch cool skin, feeling the human's pulse quicken. Enjoying the anticipation of sweet flesh beneath him.*

Mulder's mind quailed as he looked into the face of a demon inches from his own. That terrible face, powerful arms, and other things that the photo hadn't shown. The fine greenish scales across demon skin, and the more than human penis. Perhaps in that moment his sanity fled.

How else to explain why he lay unresisting as a long adamantine talon reached out and began to circle his nipple. Or how he closed his eyes and lay still as the demons' mouth found his neck and gently bit.

Somewhere inside he was screaming, so why , when the talons slid across his skin, circled his belly then slid along his cock, did he moan with desire? Why did his body arch in response to that gentle touch.

From the moment he was touched by those massive hands, his body had burned. His cock had risen in reluctant salute. He couldn't stop it, then as the caresses continued, it didn't seem important anymore. A hand caught hold of his cock then, sliding and squeezing, in its own way expert. The air seemed superheated. That touch bringing him to the brink of orgasm then holding off his loss of control. Somehow he was on his stomach, those taloned hands sliding across his back. Oddly, the cruel claws retracting like a cat, not damaging his skin. Gently spreading his legs, then he couldn't stop his cry of pain as he was probed intimately.

Then amused laughter. "It was never the intention to hurt you Fox." A surprisingly tender whisper from lips inches from his ear.

*So long since this one had been held in the arms of a lover. So easy to make his touch gentle, to take advantage of hidden vulnerabilities, to give the human what his body most craved. Binding him closer with every caress. Awakening hidden desires, fulfilling most secret lusts*

The feel of something slick against him. Scented oils to make his ordeal easier. But again, that touch so erotic that he couldn't stifle the moan that came from deep within him.

"This was your choice." Another whisper.

A hardness against his back, another more intimate, more searching intrusion, then what he had feared so much. He felt himself being forced wide open, entered by a vastness that made him scream in despair. Surely it wasn't possible for his body to accept such a large cock. Yet a strange heat seemed to be building up inside him. His body beginning to move instinctively in time with the demon's thrusts. Perhaps prey instinctively reacting to its predator. How long it continued he would never remember, only that finally the heat and desire began to overcome the pain, need triumphing over terror. He found himself on hands and knees, thrusting back hard, desperately trying to take in more of his strange lover's shaft, trying to quench the white hot need that burned within him.

Fingers sliding across his body, down his arms, then entwined with his. He came, finally, his own body betraying him and humanity, sending a hot spurt of semen across the satin sheets. Losing his soul, but perhaps gaining something equally precious in return. The demon bellowing out as he too orgasmed, and sent his hot seed into the human, binding their spirits together. Withdrawing, and feeling the human's body buck underneath him again deliciously as he felt the incredibly erotic friction of demon scales slide out of him.

*He had not anticipated such a wildly enthusiastic response from the beautiful human. So deliciously wanton. So heedless of the consequences. The loneliness inside him that was so easy to exploit. Such luscious potential for further instruction. It was almost a shame to shatter his illusions.*

Mulder lay utterly spent on the satin sheets. As he heard the demon leave, he lifted his head weakly and stared at him. The demon turned and smiled, though the expression looked odd on that inhuman face.

"I keep my word," he said softly, "Lane is the only captive here." Then as Mulder watched uncomprehendingly, his features began to slide fluidly and change shape, almost like an alien shapeshifter he had once seen. But this change was far more profound, for strongly muscled torso and arms were fading from green to something almost human in tone. The body was shrinking to something leaner, sleek and graceful. Tousled black hair springing in a shaggy mass from its head, and the face becoming human, though with a strange, supernatural beauty. Well didn't they call demons fallen angels?

The awesome transformation wasn't what made the agent cry out in shock though. It was the fact that he recognised the demon in his new body. Lane stared back at him with those beautiful cat pupiled eyes and high cheekbones. And smiled his arrogant challenging, sensuous smile, this time showing satisfaction too.

"My name is Kulain, Mulder," and Mulder knew he would hear the sensuality of that voice for the rest of his life. And Kulain blew a kiss as he left the town behind him, and went off into freedom.

***

Chapter 2- Redemption

***

*Kulain smiled. The human, Mulder's consent had released in him unimaginable power, anchored him in this reality. But such a frail link must be protected, guarded and guided in his choices. It was easy to nudge the minds of humans to do his bidding. Even easier to send a jolt of power through their computers, to make just a few small alterations. And so he made his plans.*

The report that Mulder had to write was one of the most difficult he had ever had to make. He could hardly say that he had been fucked to exhaustion by a demon. Nor that it had been one of the most terrifying, fulfilling experiences of his life. Or that he could still feel those caresses across his skin, even now. He forced the memory away. Finally he had lied, told some tale of how he had uncovered a conspiracy between the sheriff and his deputies to cover up their cult activities. The faked photo had been to scare their less than enthusiastic followers and most of the witnesses had fled the town in fear. That bit was true anyway.

The interview with Skinner had been difficult. Skinner had placed the report on his desk after reading it, had steepled his hands together and stared at Mulder for a long time. Mulder shifted nervously under that intent gaze.

"There isn't anything you want to add to this report, Agent Mulder?"

"No, Sir."

Skinner sighed. "I don't believe a word of it Mulder. There are three reasons. Firstly, the state police found absolutely no evidence of cult activities at your forest site. Secondly, the lab boys couldn't see how that photo was faked. And most importantly of all, there are no records in any computer database of a sheriff called Lane in that town. The actual sheriff is a man called Joe Haldane, who's been in the town for over twenty years, although he was at a conference during the time of your visit. Personally, I think you've been working too hard."

Mulder's mouth fell open in shock, and an expression of disbelief crossed his face at Skinner's next words.

"I'm suspending you from active duty as of now. You'll confine yourself to office duties for the next three months. Spender can look after the X files since Scully is on release to Quantico." He smiled grimly. "If you can't play it straight with me Mulder, you can expect to be training new agents in paperwork and transcribing wiretaps for a while."

Mulder found himself back in his office with no clear memory of the trip downstairs. Spender would be pleased, no doubt, the smug bastard.

The next few weeks were spent in long dreary office work, but it was the nights that began to haunt him. Whenever his mind drifted towards sleep it was as if he was in that grubby little town again, hearing the low chanting that echoed through his dreams. And the memory of dark laughter inside his mind, flesh sliding against inhuman flesh. The feel of talons slipping down his back. Night after night, longing to be taken in long hard thrusts, brought to screaming, shuddering peaks. Over it all was the desperate loneliness that filled his every waking moment when he wasn't working. Perhaps if he had a lover to turn to, he would have forgotten, but no lover had ever caused such an intense response from his body. He was filled with a loss, an echoing emptiness. Sometimes he found himself weeping, and more than once he just wanted to jump into his car and keep on driving, anywhere...

*His plans were nearing completion. It was increasingly easy to pass for human, his occasional slips were hidden by the fog he created in human minds. And of course their minds were reluctant to accept the supernatural as a reality. So easy to appear young, fairly naive and moderately intelligent. To use the good looks of his present body to ensure a willing supply of enthusiastic bed partners. In short to appear a young and attractive FBI trainee who showed much potential, despite his late transfer onto the course.*

With a sigh of resignation, Mulder dashed into the FBI building, late on Monday morning. Another sleepless night. His work was beginning to suffer and even Scully had heard, telephoning from Quantico to ask if he needed help. Maybe a referral to see a specialist...? He hurried to the third floor, his long legs taking the stairs two at a time and slowed only when he reached the briefing room - late. The agent giving the briefing scowled briefly then continued his orientation talk - how new agents were assigned an older, more experienced agent to show them the ropes. He was about to spend the next month of his life shackled to some green kid. Mulder let his mind drift as he waited for his assignee. Then hisname was called and his new young partner turned to look at him.

Time froze.

Utterly green eyes, high exotic cheekbones and wide sensuous mouth curved in a sardonic smile. A face so familiar from a thousand haunted dreams.

Kulain.

Or as he was officially, Agent Lane.

Was this a dream. Did he need professional help that much. Or was he really staring into the eyes of his inhuman lover, subject of a thousand erotic fantasies in his mind. The smile deepened. A long fingered hand reaching out to grasp his in a handshake. The shock of contact between their palms, like a jolt of electricity up his arm. Somehow, in a daze, leading the way down to his basement office and shutting the door.

Then need overwhelmed him and he stumbled forward, his hands clutching at Kulain's smart shirt, clinging to him like an anchor in reality. From the moment he had seen Kulain it was as if the other half of his soul had returned. As perhaps it had. Never mind whether this being was man or demon, beloved or despised. All he wanted was to feel that body close to him again. Then those strong arms went up around him again and for the first time in what felt like centuries he was held close to another, a lover. Some part of him wanted to stay in the protective arch of those arms forever. He knew his response was crazy, he shouldn't be reacting so strongly or with such dependence. He could only dream about how dangerous the demon really was. But his instincts told him that this was the one place in the world that would always be safe, protected. So he surrendered to the embrace, trying to fill the loneliness in his heart.

How long he was held would forever be a mystery, but at some point he lifted his head and found himself staring into that ....beloved.... face, those emerald eyes. Then those dark lips covered his in a searing kiss that made him forget everything else. Lips parted, tongue probing his mouth. His hands were pulling Kulain's head down, desperately trying to drink in the taste of his lover, like the sea. A hot flood of desire. Burning kisses working their way down his body, licking and biting at his neck.

*Oh yes, the time spent amusing himself with human lovers had taught him the rewards of patience. To bring a response from a hesitant body using a thousand tricks with fingers and mouth. But the heat between himself and this human was like no other human he had ever touched. An unexpected result of the ceremony he had performed when he first took Mulder, to mingle his essence with the human's soul. Eager to experience more of the inferno of desire he had unleashed, he caught hold of the human's shirt and ripped it from top to bottom, throwing away the discarded rag so he could drink in the sight of Mulder's body.*

Mulder found himself half naked, incredibly aroused. Being kissed and licked across his chest, then feeling his lover's attention move to his shoulders and the nape of his neck. Fingers scraping exquisitely down his spine, circling his waist to loosen his clothing. Quickly fumbling to comply. Then in the heat of passion, pushed forward across his desk. He whimpered as urgent fingers probed his body, opening him wide, slippery with cool lubricant. Had he been so prepared for this then.....?

Kulain's need must have been as great as his own because only a few moments later he felt the other begin to enter him. Mulder gasped in pain at the first thrust, moaned at the unaccustomed feeling of a lover deep inside him. Then that magnificent cock was thrusting hard inside him. He cried out at the intensity of feeling being generated inside him. His own erection was rubbing against the desk beneath him in sweet torture.

Kulain's movements were increasing in urgency, and Mulder found his hands clawing the edge of the desk. His body had been crying out for sex for so long that when he finally came, he heard himself screaming wildly again and again. Kulain, with a shuddering gasp, reaching his own climax moments later. Their bodies fell together against the desk, and for long moments, they lay in stillness, both sated, holding each other.

*Was this what the humans called love..? To be so content in anothers arms...? To enjoy the feel of a strong body against his so much. This thing called humanity , which he had held in contempt, seemed to have unexpected and fascinating avenues which called for exploration. Still, it was good that he could find release in sex so readily. It released those aggressive urges that plagued him from time to time. It was a good substitute for the taste of blood, for the feel of hot flesh tearing beneath his talons and the delights of the hunt.*

Mulder stirred beneath Kulain and pushed at him.

"Please, we've got to get straightened up...if anyone comes in...." He did his best to clean himself up, then fumbled with his pants. His shirt was ruined though, but a rather grubby spare at the back of one of his cupboards would have to do. Kulain was already seated, looking immaculate, even as Mulder fumbled with his buttons. Kulain's smile was, as ever, half amused, and Mulder wondered whether it was just him or maybe the whole of humanity that gave him entertainment.

"Quite a way to greet a new agent," he said softly. Then, as Mulder grinned shyly, he said "We have to talk Fox......"

Mulder found himself mute. What did you say to a demon by way of small talk? Or a partner you barely knew except to fuck. Come to think of it he didn't have much experience in what lovers talked about.....it had been so long.

Kulain laughed. "Perhaps you'd better give me some idea of what I have to do in the office."

Mulder gasped. "You mean you really do intend to work here?!!"

Amusement. "For someone experienced in deceit and bloodshed, it would seem to be a job with a lot of possibilities." His smile became wolf -like. "Your reputation at the academy suggests you find your share of trouble."

Mulder flushed, then answered angrily, "Just because I'm not on the X files anymore doesn't mean I'm out in the cold forever. Half of this is your fault anyway. Why did you have to pick on me?"

Those eyes narrowed. "Mulder, you don't want to annoy me. It would be better if we talked tonight. You can take me to your apartment. Now....hadn't you better show me around the surveillance department."

Mulder couldn't help it, as if in denial of his earlier passion, his mind seemed to crave the clean hard taste of rage. Trying to shut out the intensity of his feelings, his deepest desires....... to feel every day the embrace of those long arms......No, it wasn't possible.....

He felt his eyes prickle with tears. By a tremendous effort of will, he forced his mind onto work, guiding his lover around the department, assigning him tasks, ignoring the questioning look in those green eyes.

He didn't see Skinner watching him from the supervisor's office. Months of odd behaviour had been seen and reported by his colleagues.

"It's evident that he's let his standards drop. He looks shoddy and unkempt. Three mornings this week he's been late, and there have been complaints about his written reports." The supervisor was scathing in his condemnation.

Skinner sighed. "Tell him to come to my office tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. I'll give him a formal warning."

*Taming the human was proving more challenging than he had anticipated. He was so responsive when it came to sex, but trying to work out the intricacies of human emotions were quite taxing. Though he was able to learn phenomenally fast, he didn't understand the source of Mulder's anger. They seemed to spark off each other, and he found it difficult to control his violent urges. It never even occurred to him why he was trying.........*

Mulder scowled as he sat on his couch. Kulain sat in the chair opposite, apparently relaxed, his long legs stretched out in front of him.

"I've got an appointment tomorrow with A. D. Skinner, someone's reported me for "unsuitable behaviour inappropriate to an agent of the FBI". Do you know what that means?"

An inscrutable look.

*......tear.....rend......shake the prey into submission....*

"Why are you doing this to me? Why couldn't you leave me alone? Did you have to get me into trouble too?"

Mulder's control was becoming precarious. He didn't know why he felt such rage. Then he was crossing the room in two steps, lunging at Kulain, aiming the blow at the source of his pain, as hard as he could. To hurt him as much as the pain inside him was hurting......

The need......the terror of being alone......

And his hand was seized in a movement so fast he didn't even see Kulain move. Cool green talons closed around his wrist, half extended from their retractable housings.

"Are you so eager to die then?"

Mulder tried to pull his wrist away but in a single fluid motion, his arm was jerked forward. Then, overbalanced he was falling against Kulain. Then held, desperately struggling against Kulain's lap until he finally gave up and lay still. To find his face inches from Kulain's crotch made him catch his breath. It brought the conflict within him boiling to the surface.

Unexpected desire made him catch his breath. Before he could stop himself, he was nuzzling at the fabric covering Kulain's cock. Letting the dark wave of lust take him away from the pain. His arms were suddenly free, and it was so easy to pull at the zipper in front of him as his lover's body stirred in response. He ran his tongue down that beautiful cock from tip to base. Then taking the tip into his mouth, running the tip of his tongue across the head. He began to suck, half hesitantly on it. Kulain groaned in response, and pulled Mulder's head closer. Taking that swollen organ into his mouth as fully as he could, gagging slightly at the size of it..... Held tightly, Mulder began to move his body instinctively in a rhythm...

Almost immediately, Kulain climaxed. Mulder found it difficult to swallow all the semen and some of it began to dribble down him chin. Then a finger tilting his chin up, and dark lips meeting his in a kiss that went on and on. Licking his face clean. A smile

He leaned his head against Kulain's stomach afterwards, his body beginning to shake in reaction. Why had he done that? He had never sucked cock before in his life, so the impulse had left him bewildered. Yet at the time there wasn't anything in the world he'd rather be doing. His behaviour was definitely becoming more bizarre with wild mood swings. But for the moment he lay still, his arms tightly holding Kulain's waist, as long fingers stroked his hair. A wave of despair surged through him.

"Help me", he whispered, "Please..I think I'm going mad..."

"No," Kulain's voice was soft, "you're not mad. But our relationship is hardly what you'd call conventional."

"What?" A frightened voice.

"You need me, Fox. Do you deny it?" Silence. Mulder was utterly still, then he lifted up his head to stare into Kulain's eyes. Deep inside he felt the smallest stirring of hope.

"Then let me stay here with you. You like what I do to you, and I need to understand your species more clearly. So we can both get what we want."

Finally, Mulder let the tears come, sobbing as if his heart would break, all the pressures and tensions, all of the loneliness and despair that he had kept hidden for so long.

And he was held. Without judgement or censure. Only with strength and an unexpected tenderness. Perhaps Kulain had learnt more than he realised about his puzzling and occasionally irritating human lover. Mulder was held until the storm of anguish passed. Until, exhausted, he fell into an uneasy sleep. At some time during the night, he was carried into the bedroom and lain on the bed, though he didn't wake. He was held like fine china when restless and whimpering, the nightmares came. And were soothed away by stroking fingers. Kulain discovered how important it was to him not to upset the fragile emotional balance that he had created. A complex and fascinating new skill.

*The sensation of a warm body held in his arms stirred strange feelings in Kulain. Not //Predator:Prey// which he understood so well, but something different. Not exploitative, but with its own advantages. The closest he could come to describing it, his limited understanding of humans was //admiration:respect:protect from damage// And he found that he liked it*

Mulder woke. For the first time in months his sleep hadn't been disturbed by confused and torturous nightmares, and he had slept peacefully through the night. He wasn't sure how he had ended up on the bed, but waking up next to his lover, held in those strong arms had felt so good. So very, very good. His hair softly stroked and a murmured voice in his ear, "You're awake."

A kiss soft against his forehead. A smile with no mockery or hostility. Kulain rose, went out of the bedroom, and came back a few minutes later carrying a cup of coffee. Mulder unexpectedly found himself laughing at the incongruity of the scene. He sipped at the coffee and surprisingly, found it one of the best cups of coffee he had ever tasted. That wry grin, then Kulain wiggled his fingers suggestively. " I zapped it," he said and a spark seemed to flash across his fingertips.

Yes, a lover of exceptional talents, some of them unexpected. But even if he was beginning to feel alive again, to feel good, Mulder still had to face the interview with Skinner that morning.

In an oddly human gesture, Kulain hugged him as he left for Skinner's office.

The A. D. kept Mulder waiting for ten minutes, then he was summoned into the office.

"I have to give you a formal warning Mulder. Your work's gone downhill for months. If you don't improve within two weeks I'll have no choice but to request a board of enquiry. It may be better for you to resign."

Mulder stared in disbelief. He had been close to the edge for so long. He could feel his new found strength begin to unravel. Feeling himself start to shake. The sudden feeling of desolation and loneliness. Total despair. Then the unexpected, welcome feel of arms around him, so familiar, as Kulain came to his support. Drawing him into a protective embrace, soothing him. Skinner rose to his feet in astonishment.

"Where the hell did you come from?"

Kulain's angry gaze fixed on the A.D. and some emotion he saw there made Skinner freeze. In more danger than he had ever been in his adventurous life.

"I've been here a while," Kulain said softly. "didn't you notice me?"

There was a coldness in his tone that chilled Skinner's blood. Then cat pupilled green eyes flashed. Skinner swallowed. He didn't know exactly who or what this man was, but the danger hadn't receded. Very slowly he sat down and gestured at the chair opposite.

"Sit down." Skinner didn't lack courage.

And just as carefully, Kulain guided a shaking Mulder to a seat and gently pushed him down into it, standing behind, his arms protectively on his lover's shoulders. One long fingered hand carefully brushed away the tear on Mulder's cheek.

"Mulder is mine. If you should even think about hurting him, you and the rest of your family will die slowly." A sly smile. Shall I prove how efficient I would be." And a taloned hand reached out, claws fully extended to two inches, slicing into the expensive wood and leather of Skinner's desktop. Sinking through the fine materials, inches deep.

Skinner swallowed.

"Who are you?" he asked nervously. He slid his hand slowly towards the gun in his desk drawer.

One single talon raised warningly in that direction stopped him. Dark laughter. "You know me as Lane. You've just assigned Agent Mulder to look after me on your training program. But we've met before."

Sudden realisation. Skinner remembered that stupid report Mulder had tried to fake. "You were the sheriff that had something to do with the demon cult Mulder investigated. Oh my god!"

"Not quite". Another disturbing smile. "You were right, there were certain things Mulder didn't tell you about our last meeting." A gentle smile at Fox, who was sitting dazed, staring at them.

"Mulder and I have an understanding. He has accepted my protection. But I think you'll find that I can be very useful to you, in return for your co-operation. I can solve his problems and yours."

"If you could pass all our security checks and stay hidden all these months I don't doubt that you're a good operative. But what guarantee would I have that you'd stay out of trouble?"

Skinner, to his own surprise, actually found himself considering the strange proposal. Oddly, he didn't doubt 'Lanes concern for Mulder. And it was enough of a basis to establish limited trust.

"Alright, if you can get Mulder into shape, I'll consider employing you as a field agent. But not on the X files. They've been taken over by Spender."

"Then let us investigate more occult cases". A. dark smile. "I have a lot of experience in that area."

Skinner nodded decisively, it was agreed then. He looked at the still shivering Mulder. "Take a holiday Mulder. You look as if you need it. It'll give you time to work things out with your, er, associate. Then you'll both be on probation." Another nervous glance at hands that had slowly begun to appear human again.

Long fingers caught at Mulder's unresisting arm, and drew him, compliant, from the office. Into a new phase of his life.

*Mulder responded best to gentleness and seemed to gain strength from prolonged passive contact. Such a strange idea. Of course he also reacted well to vigorous sexual activity in different forms. All things considered, life was proving quite interesting. His careful plans were well on schedule.*

***

Chapter 3- Revelation

***

Mulder stared at his reflection in the mirror. He was no longer sure who the stranger was who stared back at him. They said that it made you stronger to go through the fires of hell, meaning "to face a crisis in your life." But the metaphor had a more literal meaning for him. He had faced a crisis of sexual identity, and his partner wasn't even entirely human. His reflection showed a thinner, more shadowed face. Then he smiled in welcome, his young face lighting up. Something he was only used to seeing in his face recently, joy. Kulain slid his arms round Mulder and he snuggled back into that warm embrace.

"I've got a present for you, Fox." Then his lover produced a small golden earring and held it up to Mulder's left ear. Mulder's eyes widened,for there was a world of suggestion in wearing that particular symbol. The twin in fact to the one Kulain had taken to wearing, once he found out about that particular human custom. Then a single retractable talon emerged from the tip of Kulain's fingertip, a quick, sharp sting and the ring was fitted in place. And the single drop of blood was licked from Kulain's finger.

A stranger stared back at Mulder now. The last link with his old life was gone.

For the past two weeks Mulder had spent most of his time in exhilarating, passionate love - making. And talking about himself, his ideas, his hypotheses on everything from alien abduction to zombies. He'd never let anyone hear most of it, not even Scully. But though he sometimes sensed Kulain's amusement at his odder ideas, there was never condemnation.

Once or twice he even dropped hints in his own sphere of knowledge that sparked whole new ideas in Mulder's mind. Occasionally, Mulder sensed the demon's puzzlement over some aspect of human behaviour, as if he was being studied in return. He only hoped that they were ready to work together for the F.B.I. He had no doubt as to Kulain's defensive capabilities. A few small demonstrations of lightning speed and agility had proved that, and his talons were a formidable weapon that could be quickly deployed. Kulain's sensitivity to the supernatural was as yet an untested resource, as he seemed reluctant to hint at his abilities.

***

"Damn you then, why does it have to be me? I've always preferred to avoid Mulder." Alex Krycek glared at the Cigarette Smoking Man, who he hated, and feared, immensely.

"We thought that Mulder was finished. Every indication was that he was going over the edge. A few weeks longer and he would have been out of the bureau, probably on his way to an asylum. Now we hear that he has a new partner, and Skinner is trusting him enough to make him head of a new investigative squad. We want him taken care of, one way or the other before he regains his credibility. How long before he decides to meddle in our affairs again?"

Alex sighed. He had always respected Mulder's rather naive honesty, and if the truth were told, he had always nursed a secret attraction for Mulder, since they had first met. Mulder had never picked up on his sly hints though. It should be easy enough to sneak into his apartment tonight and fake a burglary. If Mulder was hurt during a robbery, then he would certainly be out of commission for long enough to satisfy the Consortium.

// Sure Alex, now you're looking for a way not to kill him. Stupid asshole. He's going to die anyway if he meddles with those bastards again. God, the thought of that...//

*There was a wrongness in the night, and he sensed that danger was close. Rising silently from Mulder's side, he moved cautiously out of the bedroom, his movements swift and lithe. Claws deployed, he lifted his head nostrils flaring, and sniffed the night air. He felt the uplift brought by the need to hunt. A dance with darkness which had only one victor. A stirring of the air as the window was silently lifted open, and a darkness flowed gracefully into the room. His pupils narrowed in appreciation. Another hunter, though one far inferior to him. The darkness crept closer to the bedroom door, close enough for supernaturally keen sight to see the young man's features and recognise them from many bureau bulletins.

Alex Krycek.

Inhuman eyes narrowed in appreciation. The bulletins had made no mention of the human's taut, well muscled body, or the grace of his sleek movements. Unexpectedly Kulain felt a flare of desire, chasing away the sharp, cruel longings stirred by the hunt. Silently he moved in the deepest shadows, following the young human into the bedroom, and watched motionless as Alex approached his lover. There was little danger to Fox, not when his guardian could so swiftly move against any threat*

Muscles tensing, Alex moved quickly forward, gun in his one good hand. Mulder lay curled up asleep on the bed, his naked body half covered by the sheets. Alex tensed, then flung himself on top of Mulder, using his knees to pin down Mulder's arms and shoulders. Before Mulder could react with more than a gasp, the gun was pressed coldly against his forehead.

"You're in deep shit Mulder," he said softly.

Dazed, his former partner could only stare at him in bewilderment. "What do you want, Krycek? I don't understand why you're here."

Alex chuckled, and Mulder felt a coldness trail down his cheek as Alex let the gun caress his skin. "Maybe I came just to jump your bones Mulder, you ever think of that?"

Mulder's eyes widened. Then Alex noticed the gleam of gold at Mulder's ear. It was his turn to be surprised. He let the gun move up towards the earring, rubbed its muzzle softly under Mulder's ear. Mulder moaned, not in fear but as though he was enjoying the caress. Alex felt secret astonishment. When had Mulder ever shown the slightest interest in those special, deliciously dangerous games that Alex loved so much. It was like a wet dream come true. He wondered how far he could take the game. And also felt a small pang of jealousy. Wherever Mulder had learned his new flexibility, some new lover must have been his teacher. He wished that he could have been the first one to make Mulder moan in that disturbing new way.

Alex felt himself stirring in response to the little kitten like sounds of pleasure Mulder was making, as he began to rub his body against the stronger man. Moving back, slowly and carefully so Mulder could get more leverage against the bed. Straddling the agent's hips and sliding his hand across the smooth naked chest. Irresistibly, leaning forward to kiss Mulder, capturing that juicy lower lip between his and suckling it. Mulder's arms coming up, not to push him away, but to pull his head down and drink in the taste of those lips. God his erection was so tight in the leather pants now. Fumbling awkwardly with one hand to try and undo his belt. Fox moving his hands slowly down and completing the task. A clumsy rush to pull off his clothing, then he was naked, on top of Mulder, feeling the fire of sweet kisses across his neck and chest.

Mulder was more than ready for sex now , his rock hard erection pressing against Alex's lower abdomen. Alex began to rub his body against that beautiful cock, then shifted position to slowly tongue it. The moans Mulder was making were so arousing.

*The watcher relaxed as he saw the young human place his gun in a pocket, then his interest sharpened. Alex Krycek was plainly aroused by his contact with Mulder's body. Soon it became evident that Alex had thrown caution to the winds and was far too involved with Mulder to notice the watcher, so still was he. The human stripped quickly, in between frantic kisses, and Kulain sighed softly in appreciation. The body he saw was superbly fit, only marred by a savage trauma, where a vicious assault had severed the upper arm. Then the human became impatient, flipping Mulder onto his stomach, ready for sex*

Alex found himself so excited he could barely stop himself plundering that beautiful ass. He slid a finger inside Mulder's tightness, gently working it back and forth to loosen him up. Mulder moaned and thrust back against the exploring fingers. He was so ready. Alex rubbed the precum across the head of his penis, then began to press his cock against the tight entrance. A short thrust, and Mulder groaned in evident ecstasy. Whoever his lover had been, he must have regularly plundered this particular treasure, because Mulder couldn't get enough of him. He thrust his hips back unexpectedly, and Alex found himself impaling the agent fully. That hot tightness was almost too much for him.

"Fuck me, damn you. I want it so bad." Mulder's voice was hoarse with desire.

//You lucky Alex. Anything to oblige//

He'd remember this night for a long time. Mulder's movements became more frantic beneath him as his movements increased in speed.

"Harder!", Mulder screamed, so Alex pushed Mulder's shoulders down, riding him as strongly as he could.

//Who taught you to like it rough, Mulder?//

Then Mulder convulsed beneath him, muscles contracting fiercely, pumping Alex deliciously, bringing him to the edge of his orgasm and beyond.

Afterwards Alex found it irresistible to lie with his one good arm around Mulder, who made a small satisfied sound, then curled up against him. Almost immediately, his change in breathing told Alex that Mulder was asleep. This was crazy. He was supposed to be threatening and/or killing Mulder, not fucking him. How exactly had Mulder got inside his defences anyway? He couldn't even remember where he had dropped his gun, in his hurry to undress. Alex drowsed, his body utterly relaxed. Perhaps later he would be able to persuade Mulder to spread his legs again. Even his well honed instinct for survival couldn't have warned him of the supernatural predator who moved towards him. But at the moment his body was sunk into such a sweet languor that he was an even easier target for Kulain.

The first and only warning Alex had was when his one good arm was seized in an iron grip, and jerked savagely up against the bed head. A click and his hand was handcuffed there securely. Before he could even shout, a cool sharpness against his neck made him freeze. He felt a weight settle on the bed behind him and a cold voice murmured in his ear.

"In my bed with my lover. Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now..."

Alex swallowed, felt his balls contract up towards his stomach in terror. The voice continued. "Perhaps I should kill him too for betraying me."

"No!" The word came out before Alex could stop it. "It wasn't his fault...I made him..."

"Then you'll have to pay...But how?" A soft suggestive chuckle, deepening as a tremor ran through his captives' body.

"You don't even know what you're involved in, Alex Krycek".

A stir.

Letting his lips brush against the back of Alex's head, Kulain inhaled deeply. The scent of leather, musky sweet. "Oh yes, I recognise you."

Then long fingers slid across Alex's shoulder, down in front of his face. Kulain let his claws expand from their housings, two inch long curved talons, and the human's response was most satisfactory. A small whimper as Alex realised exactly how far out of his depth he was. Kulain let his talons run across the firm young body, gently applying pressure, enough to barely mark the skin but not to damage it. Pressing a single claw against one rounded nipple. The human gasped as it came erect. The other hand, which had been resting against Alex's neck, now stroked upwards along his cheekbone. Kulain slid one finger around the human's mouth, then rubbed that talon against the lower lip. Slightly too much pressure made a small cut and a small trickle of blood stained Alex's lip. Forcing the human onto his back with one strong hand, he lowered his lips and kissed Alex, tasting the salty blood, savouring the chemicals in it that told of fear and echoes of lust. A heady mixture. Then he lowered his attention to the muscular torso.

Alex felt dizzy. Those light caresses across his chest and then his back again were so very erotic, with the spice of danger that he loved. He had always lived close to the edge, but no sex partner had ever scared and excited him so much. He gasped as those hands swept over him, moving lower. He heard his own hoarse voice echoing Mulder's earlier passion. Is this the way Fox reacted when this man touched him? Despite the discomfort of the handcuff, he was becoming very aroused.

//No Alex. No. I'm not going to beg for it. I'm not!//

Alex bit his lip to stop himself crying out. That would feel so humiliating, even if his erection was so evident. Kulain laughed. What the human wanted was so obvious in every sensuous movement of his body beneath those questing hands. Pushing the human onto his stomach, he slid a finger deep inside him. He felt a wave of hunger, and after only a few minutes of preparation, thrust himself into those hot depths. Alex yowled in pain and lust. Kulain's size was impressive, Alex had seldom had to stretch himself so wide for a lover. But the pressure of those expert thrusts was incredible, exquisite. He gasped in unison with those hard strokes, then came explosively. But his strong lover kept on moving, bringing him to the edge again within minutes. This time they climaxed together. He screamed wildly, then he felt the sensations overwhelm him, and for the first time in his life, he fainted in sexual ecstasy.

He must only have been out seconds, but waking felt so good. Those arms around him. The realisation that his arm was free, no longer trapped by handcuffs. Sensuous laughter in his ear as a body nestled against his.

"Do you want to leave now, Alex? Debt paid". Lips brushing the back of his neck. "Or you could stay...You'll enjoy it."

//DID HE WANT TO STAY? GODDAMIT YES! MORE SEX LIKE THAT!! YES. YES. YES.//

Mulder made a small questioning sound in his deep sleep and snuggled up to him. Alex wondered dreamily why he hadn't woken. Still, with the amount of sex he was getting... Alex felt incredible lassitude and his mind and body followed Mulder down into sleep.

*He had two humans to serve him now. The dark sensuous Alex, who prided himself on his independence, but had a vulnerable core. The naive, curiously sweet Mulder, who was beginning to learn how flexible life could be. Both of them were beginning to bond together now. To make a stable unit which could hold out against the dark that was coming. Darkness and light were becoming entwined.*

***

Chapter 4 - Retribution

***

Mulder woke that morning to the sound of quiet voices in the room nearby. Odd, Kulain rarely showed interest in the T.V. He rose and quickly showered, then towelled himself dry, slipped on a T shirt and jeans, then went to get his morning dose of coffee. He kept remembering scenes from the oddest dream. Alex Krycek fucking his brains out. Alex kissing him fiercely... He wondered why he'd had such a hot fantasy.

He walked into the kitchen and stopped dead. Kulain, ever the sensualist, was dressed in a black silk shirt open at the throat to display ivory skin. He wore tight black leather trousers. He was leaning back, relaxed, in one of the kitchen chairs. Standing close to him, back to the door was a tall dark haired figure wearing only a towel round his waist. Kulain's hand slipped round the man's waist, ran his fingers lightly down the long spine, to the edge of the towel, tracing the outline of the firm muscles.

Mulder must have made some small noise in his throat, for both men turned towards him. A faint trace of amusement crossed Kulain's face. But Alex! Alex smiling brilliantly at him, his face lighting up with welcome. He automatically smiled back in response, despite his shock.

"We let you sleep Mulder, seems like you needed the rest." Alex's voice virtually purred with satisfaction.

//Mulder you idiot, don't stand there with your mouth open. Shit! Are you angry with me then? Don't look at me like that//

Mulder couldn't think of what to say. Alex's face fell in disappointment. His eyes were filled with a curiously vulnerable look. Then Kulain's hand gently applied pressure to the small of Alex's back, pushing him towards Mulder. He stumbled forward, and instinctively, Mulder put out his arms. Suddenly the agent's body was in full contact with a virtually naked, warm skinned Alex Krycek. And in a heartbeat they were kissing, pressing hard against each other, drinking each other in.

Eventually coming up for air.

Kulain laughed softly. Mulder found himself blushing fiercely. Alex grinned. "I take it you aren't mad about last night?"

Mulder shook his head, torn between laughter and exasperation.

"Krycek, you're incorrigible! You never even told me what you were doing in my apartment. Was it because you were horny?"

"Mulder, if you don't watch out, you're going to get yourself killed. The Consortium want you dead, and your boyfriend is the dangerous sort."

"You aren't my boyfriend yet, Ratboy."

"Yeah, well, give me time". Alex grinned, then his face became serious. "We really need to talk Mulder."

"Tonight, Krycek."

As the two of them left for work, Mulder lifted his eyes to stare at Kulain.

"You like him." Not a question.

"Yes, I like him." A softly hissed reply from Kulain.

"What do you want from us?"

//Dangerous ground this, Fox//

"At the moment? Amusement."

*Hot lust stirred in him when he thought of his two human lovers. Such a beautiful sight, moving together, limbs entangled. Tongues probing. Muscles and tendons straining, enhanced by the hot sheen of sweat. Slick surfaces gliding together. Burning flood of //desire:possesion:need//

But shadows were gathering to act against him. Time later to plan how exquisite willing bodies would move against him. Now it was time to reach down and draw in power. To open himself to the darkside and answer the call of his blood.*

All day as he worked in the office, Mulder kept remembering the arousing and enthusiastic young body that had been pressed against him. Why was Alex doing this? Was it part of some plot? His paranoia resurfaced unexpectedly. Then laughing to himself, he relaxed. Kulain would give Alex a big surprise if he tried anything stupid. From the look on Alex's face this morning as Kulain left, he wasn't sure whether he had fallen into hell or won the lottery. But he seemed keen to find out.

Alex was already in the department when the two agents reached it that evening. He was reclined comfortably on Mulder's dark couch, watching a stupid movie on T.V. Something about a killer and his gangster's moll riding through the desert with a couple of bozos.

He looked up and grinned lazily.

"Didn't think you'd mind if I made myself at home Mulder."

Mulder sat down on the edge of the couch, pushing Alex back a little. A warm arm slid round his waist. Alex shifted slightly so that Mulder could lean right back against his chest. He began to kiss the back of Mulder's neck, slow soft kisses that sent a whisper of sensation down his spine.

This felt good. This felt very good.

"Don't take it fast, Alex, I want it to be so slow. Just hold me for now." Need flooded through Mulder. Not for sex, but for human contact. The moment their eyes met he had felt a spark leap between him and Alex. Something precious, to be nurtured. It made him feel scared to think about it. Not with Alex, of all people! Was it true what they said, nothing was out of your reach if you really wanted it?

Mulder drowsed, just enjoying the feel of Alex's body against him.

//Mulder, what are you doing to me? I want to cover you with kisses. I want to feel your body open to mine. So why the hell does it feel so good to have you in my arms, just lying still//

*Kulain moved restlessly around the apartment, only half aware of the two who lay in each others arms on the couch. The half felt energy leaping between them. Something inside them bonding together, making both stronger. Darkness was coming, not just the absence of daylight, but a burning fierce hatred. He hissed and his claws automatically retracted to their full lengths. Lips drew back from slightly pointed teeth in a hoarse snarl... Blood. Ripping flesh. Hot blood spurting.*

When Kulain growled in rage, Mulder's eyes flew open in surprise and alarm. Alex gasped and clutched at his shoulder uncertainly. The demon stood near the doorway, green eyes burning with luminous intensity. Alex whimpered. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please!" Odd how trauma would suddenly show itself in moments of tension. Then the door exploded inwards, suddenly full of dark clad, ski - masked men with guns. The Consortium had decided to take more direct action against Fox Mulder!

Even as those guns turned towards him, Alex catapulted off the couch, incredibly fast, so foolhardy, trying to reach his gun in the bedroom. Mulder sat frozen, knowing it was too late. But Kulain hadn't been idle. In a single fluid motion, he moved towards them. The first two in the doorway didn't stand a chance.

Savage claws slashed out at one throat, grating against the spinal column from the inside, on their way past. A half turn, faster than human eyes could follow. Talons moved together in a spearing motion, punching straight through the rib cage, closing round the heart and ripping it out in a forward movement. Bodies falling so slowly, even as he kicked out savagely, shattering another attacker's ribcage to mush beneath the sole of his foot. The fourth and last attacker seized at the neck with both hands, pivoted explosively with incredible strength and jerked backwards. Result: decapitation. Even as the first kill completed its fall towards the floor in a soggy thump.

The sheer violence and speed of the attack had taken both of the humans by surprise. The inhuman, impossibly fast movements and the sheer bloodshed. With a scowl of annoyance, Kulain flung away the head he had just liberated from its owner, onto the rug, where it landed with a soft plop. Alex had skidded to a stop, and was staring in terror and disbelief. Mulder just sat, beginning to shake in reaction.

"Shit, Mulder. I think you need a new carpet," Alex whispered softly.

Skinner shook his head tiredly. He had the beginnings of a headache and now this. Four goons who tried to attack Mulder. Who just happened to be with an unarmed combat specialist, another F.B.I. agent. Result: bloodshed. He had never seen anything like it before, even in Vietnam. That someones' hands had done this! Or so he told the clearup team No need to mention certain supernatural suspicions he had about Mulder's companion. Or the quickly concealed presence of a white faced Alex Krycek near Mulder's car. Though he did not like the young man, the look in Kulain's demonic eyes had stopped him cold from asking questions. Some things aren't worth it. Anyway, he told himself, maybe being under Kulain's control was a worse punishment than anything he could devise. He finally sent the two agents to a downtown hotel. No problem as long as they remained available. No one tried to kill his men with impunity.!

Kulain found himself pushing a shaking Mulder along the corridor towards their hotel room.

// He felt so cold. So scared. What if Kulain hadn't... Then the guilt because he had...//

Fingers fumbled at Mulder's clothes, stripping him. Then he was pushed under the shower, the hot steaming water washing away the blood spatters on his face. God knows what the hotel clerk had thought. Then Kulain joined him naked in the shower, sliding his arms around Mulder, holding him close in reassurance, even as the heat began to penetrate his chilled body. His knees felt weak, so he leaned gratefully against his lover.

He felt Kulain slowly becoming aroused at his closeness. Kulain's penis was soon hard against his back, as his body was rocked gently. Mulder felt himself rubbing harder, raising himself up onto the balls of his feet, opening his legs wider. Kulain slowly rubbing his cock against the crack between his buttocks. Mulder slid a finger inside himself, while those strong arms supported his body. Then he was guiding himself back onto that magnificently hard cock. Giving a deep sigh of contentment as it slid fully into him. He was used to Kulain now, knew how to minimise the discomfort of first penetration. But this time even the slight pain was a welcome blot to his memory.

//God, all that blood. How did I get mixed up in this?//

Mulder began to move his body more urgently, needing the sex to drive thoughts of blood and death from his mind.

Alex chuckled from the doorway. "Hey, is this a private party or can anyone join in?" His face still looked slightly pale, but he shed his clothing as he came closer, fumbling awkwardly as he struggled out of his shirt. Then he dropped onto his knees, half in the shower, so that the water began to soak his tousled hair. And eagerly began attacking Mulder's swollen cock. Licking and teasing the engorged head while he gripped the base firmly with his hand. Beginning a slow milking action with that hand. Light sensation of teeth scraping along the upper parts.

Mulder's fingers tangled in Alex's wet hair, pulling him closer. The movements of both his lovers, attacking his body from different angles was driving him wild. He could hear someone screaming in ecstasy, continuously. His own voice! Humans only have limited tolerance in situations of sensory overload, so within moments he climaxed, his cum spattering across Alex's face and shoulders. And Kulain, letting himself come too, with a satisfied sigh. For now.

Mulder's knees gave way and he slid bonelessly down the side of the shower stall , to sprawl on the floor. Alex hugged him. Kulain leaned down, then, and licked the spatter of semen from a surprised and gratified ex assassin.

Somehow the three of them ended up, slightly damp, in a tangle on the large hotel bed. Jealous Alex had managed to insinuate his body into the cosiest spot between Kulain and Mulder, softly murmuring "I want some of that later."

//Yeah, Foxy, you aren't getting all the best bits. I want some too. Especially your tongue//

In an amazingly short time his every wish was satisfied. Again. And again. And again.

*What a day. Blood and lust. Mmmmm.*

***

CHAPTER 5 - Reconciliation

***

*Progress was being made, but there were still obstacles to overcome.

//Law// and //Justice// were such strange concepts, hard to work around. Alex, for one, was such a flawed masterpiece. His marred body and his lack of control were both annoying. Also Alex thought too much of his own pleasures and not of the consequences. But Mulder needed more than that from him, much more*

Kulain's request had caught Skinner by surprise. He was a thorn in the side of the Consortium, and it was certainly better to have him as a friend. But this...! A request to assign Alex Krycek to the newly formed Occult Investigation Squad! Not only flouting a dozen laws, but against every good sense, as well as every personal hatred he felt.

Kulain had just smiled when he tried to logically point all of this out. And taken out a small cardboard box from his pocket, putting it on the desk. He tensed, because these days he never forgot quite what those hands were capable of. He studied it without touching the outside of the box. A snort of laughter, very disconcerting from that particular agent.

"Take it to your experts. Have them examine it. Then call me if you want to make a deal."

Quite a challenge. But within six hours of delivering the package to the F.B.I. forensic experts in Quantico, he had several phone calls, culminating in the Deputy Secretary of Defence himself sitting in his office. Begging, no less, for more information on a certain small device whose properties were even now being examined by the world's most brilliant physicists.

Skinner called Kulain to his office, where the agent had just smiled quietly. Smugly, almost.

"Hell touches on more worlds than you can possibly imagine. From time to time, useful items are appropriated. Do you want it or not?"

The Deputy Secretary had almost rubbed his hands together in anticipation, once he understood the complex situation Kulain was in. Greed in his eyes, he said, "For more tech products like that, I'm sure your requests can be accommodated." And when Skinner had tried to protest.

"Do you know what he gave you? Obviously not. He claimed it was a personal force shield generator with a miniaturised power supply. From what we've managed to find out so far, it's true. Mr...Er...Kulain, the U.S. Government wants to extend you every hospitality. I can arrange a free pardon for your friend if that would be satisfactory?"

Defeated, Skinner scowled. Then he looked intently at Kulain.

"Alright, but only if you guarantee his absolute loyalty personally."

Kulain smiled. "I can do that," he said. And without knowing why, Skinner felt a shiver run down his spine.

*The younger of his two humans lacked discipline. There was a wild streak in him, born of fear and resentment and a lifetime surviving the cruellest things humans could dream up. Many of them far more cruel than the demon world if truth be told. The bruised look in his eyes whenever his arm failed him. No, cruelty wouldn't work. But there was a way*

***

Alex was having the time of his life. Having two lovers was exhilarating and exhausting in turn. With Kulain, for once in his life, he felt safe. A rare quality in his life. And not unimportantly, his lovemaking was mind blowing. Mulder was completely different, it was Alex's turn to feel protective. Mulder had no idea how ruthless their enemies could be. The thought of anything happening to him made Alex feel such pain. He loved the circle of Mulder's arms, the way he looked at Alex. He decided that he would have to do something VERY interesting to Fox that evening. Perhaps something very kinky and erotic with that chocolate sauce in the cupboard. There were parts of Mulder's body that really demanded a good licking! He loved to do the unexpected.

Kulain slid his arm around Mulder as the car drew up outside their apartment. A startled look crossed Mulder's face. He flushed.

"Why aren't you waiting till we get home? I get a bit uncomfortable doing it in public."

Kulain snorted. He would have to remember that remark and take Mulder in some unexpected place. It would be amusing to tease him. Then he remembered the seriousness of his young lover Alex's position. He needed the protection of the F.B.I. again, because he was so easy a target when Kulain wasn't there. "Mulder, do you trust me?"

Again a flicker of surprise. "Sure, but I'm NOT going to go down on you in the car! No way!"

* Promises, promises. We'll see.*

"No Mulder, I had something else in mind. Alex's arm!"

Open astonishment now. "I didn't realise you could do anything. You've never said anything before..." This because two months of bedding Alex might have offered other opportunities to talk about his disability.

"Yes I can help him. But it wont work if you don't do everything I say without question." Mulder swallowed nervously. "I'd do anything for Alex. You know that."

Then softly, "I need you to hold him down. I have to hurt him. A lot."

Mulder stared at him uncertainly. Then slowly nodded. "If it's the only way, I'll do it as soon as soon as I get a chance Kulain."

***

Laughing, Alex grabbed Mulder the instant he came through the door. He pushed Mulder against the wall and began to work on the buttons of his shirt.

"I don't want that Alex!" Mulder said the words softly. And averted his eyes from the younger man's hurt and bewildered gaze. Alex flung himself down on the couch, a scowl on his face. Mulder closed his eyes for a moment. Then moving towards Alex, he sat next to him.

"I'm sorry Alex."Mulder slid his arms around his lover, pressing the lithe body firmly down onto the couch. Catching his good hand and gripping it. Pushing Alex with his weight so that he was firmly on top. He braced his knees on either side of Alex's torso and pressed his shoulders down. Then slowly he leaned forward and let his lips brush gently against the younger mans forehead.

"I love you, Alex."

The startled look in the younger man's eyes at that. Somehow it had never been said between them.

//What was Mulder up to? He didn't usually like to be on top during sex. Why did he have to say that as well, no one ever gave a damn about him really. Why were tears streaming down Mulder's face?//

Alex tried to reach up to brush away the tears. And Kulain's hand closed in a painful, vicelike grip on his stump. Two inch claws of the other hand arching down, slicing into the tender flesh. Utter shock and betrayal were reflected on the younger man's face, even as he opened his mouth to scream. Blood began to pool on the slick surface of the couch under his shoulder. He twisted, trying to escape, but the strength of Mulder's body held him down.

*And having prepared his lover for the regrowth, Kulain, with a long talon, sliced into his own forearm, opening a slit from wrist to elbow. Blood that was black rather than red oozed out of the cut. A few rapid squeezes of fingers together brought more blood gushing out of the injury. Letting the dark liquid run down his arm then drip onto the savage score on Alex's arm. Demon blood began to mingle with the young humans'. Mulder, staring at him, eyes wide.*

Within a few seconds Krycek's body convulsed massively upwards. Again and again, as his body was invaded, for long minutes. Then he collapsed backwards onto the couch.

"No!", Mulder whimpered in despair.

Kulain gripped his shoulder painfully. "He's not dead! But he's going to be sick for a while. Can you look after him?"

A nod. Then the two of them gently moved the deeply unconscious human onto the bed next door.

//Pain. Burning its way into his arm like acid. A curious sense of otherness. Whirling psychedelic images, some familiar, others almost incomprehensible in their terrible alienness. Voices whispering inside his head. And above all the terrible coldness.//

When Alex began to shiver uncontrollably, Mulder slid onto the bed next to him, pressing their bodies close, trying to warm and reassure his lover. Sometimes, as the fever progressed, Alex stirred fitfully, then as the infection took hold, began to mutter deliriously, his head thrashing from side to side in confusion and distress. Mulder held him, soothed his burning forehead, gently tending to his bodily needs. The fever burned fierce and hot. At one point Alex opened his eyes and recognition seemed to spark within them. Then he slowly turned his head away from his lover, to face the wall. Two large tears rolled down his cheeks to pool under his chin. Mulder closed his eyes in anguish.

Mulder had kept the arm covered, but the urge to look became irresistible. Fumbling at the sleeping man's arm, he uncovered the injury. His eyes widened. From the stump, an arm-like growth, as yet curiously undefined, was growing. In less than three days!

Later still, as Alex slept quietly, his fever beginning to subside, Kulain came into the room. He uncovered his work. It was a success. Alex had a new arm. Mulder thought he had never seen anything so beautiful. Then Kulain gently applied pressure to one white new fingertip. Mulder felt a thrill of superstitious terror as Alex's nails emerged like a cat, retractable claws. In fact, like Kulain's own.

Waking felt odd. Alex couldn't seem to remember the night before clearly, and there was an odd, gritty taste in his mouth. He felt lightheaded. Mulder moved from the side of the room to sit next to him on the side of the bed. He looked like shit, as if he hadn't slept for a week. He slid an arm around Alex's shoulder and gently gave him some sort of fruit juice. Alex accepted gratefully, then froze as memories flooded back. Mulder had betrayed him.

He slammed his fist as hard as he could at Mulder, but he was still weak from the fever so Mulder easily avoided the blow. And watched him with desolate eyes for a moment, before he fled the room.

The door opened again to admit Kulain. Alex felt an immediate flood of terror and shrank back. It only seemed to amuse the demon, who caught hold of both shoulders, holding him still.

"I'm glad to see you awake Alex." Then the young man's green eyes flared with anger and despair. With all his strength, he brought his arms up to strike out desperately at his new tormentor. And stopped, totally still, unmoving, in stunned realisation of what he had just done.

//Dazed he stared at the arm. It had to be a dream, and what a cruel one. Then why did it feel so real//

Kulain gently grasped the limb, squeezed his new hand and looked smug.

"Do you like my present Alex? It's real, I promise you."

Then overwhelmed, the human clutched at Kulain, sobbing in anguish in his dark lover's arms. Nearby, Mulder heard him weeping as if his heart was broken, and sank onto the floor in the corner of the room huddling in on himself, rocking his body to and fro in distress.

A week later, Alex found himself in Skinner's office, dressed in his best bad suit, being given a new badge and gun. It was plain that he didn't like the idea, but somehow Kulain seemed to have swung it with the powers that be. Everything was forgiven, apparently, because Kulain seemed to have important friends in top government circles. The funniest moment of that very odd day was when Skinner had first noticed the rather conspicuous new arm that seemed to have appeared on his body!

// Sarcasm, Alex?//

It felt good to slip his badge away while Skinner watched every movement of his hand in disbelief

"I told you he's loyal to me, isn't that right, Alex?" He smiled at Kulain.The look Alex gave Kulain was one of utter devotion. The one who had given him back wholeness. Besides which, a certain sense of prudence in Alex made sure he didn't do anything to piss Kulain off. The thought of those claws still gave him nightmares. But Kulain had made up for the pain he had caused with some of the wildest, most enthusiastic love making Alex had ever known. Every night that week. So he didn't feel particularly energetic at the moment. Baiting Skinner could wait a while.

In truth, Mulder had been avoiding him. Working long hours away from home, falling into exhausted sleep when he returned. Letting Kulain use him sometimes, though he seemed to derive little joy from it.

//How did he feel towards Mulder? Anger. Deep hurt. Inarticulate longing//

Mulder avoided his eyes, wouldn't touch him. Sometimes he just wanted to feel those beautiful lips against his, those strong arms. Or he felt so frustrated with Mulder, just wanted to hit out at him, shake some sense into him. If he could only have Mulder in his arms again, surely they could work things out.

Mulder could tell from the dark looks Alex kept giving him that he wasn't wanted anymore. The annoyance he showed around Mulder sometimes, or the coldness. He felt as if he was dying inside. He'd told the truth when he declared his love for Alex. It had just slipped out, but he meant it with every fibre of his being. Maybe it would be easier to find another apartment. Get away from the torment of living so close to Alex, seeing his intimacy with Kulain yet knowing he would never again feel his loving touch. But he couldn't do it, couldn't stay away from him.

Later, things became even more awkward when Kulain was called to Washington to see his contacts. Being alone with Alex was even worse. On the first night, when he saw Alex curled up on the bed, his heart leapt. Those green eyes staring at him, unfathomable. Mulder fled. Spent the night on the couch. Didn't see Alex doubled up in despair, quietly sobbing into his pillow.

The phone rang early that morning. Mulder answered it, and listened with a sinking feeling. All available members of his department were called to New York. A strange series of deaths, all bodies savagely mutilated and half eaten, as if by a wild animal. A beast loose somewhere in the alleys of Manhattan? Unlikely to be that simple. Some of the killings had taken place within metres of busy streets, and one killing had been a cop, who'd managed to empty the entire clip of his revolver into his attacker's body, with no success.

Sitting next to Alex on the plane was awkward. Seeming to pick up the sense of coolness he was trying to maintain, Alex mercifully kept the discussion to business. There was also tension between them when they checked into a hotel together. Somehow his voice wouldn't say the words when he came to order a double room, so it was left to Alex who just said "Two singles please". In a way it was a relief that Alex couldn't see his pain.

After reviewing the case notes, the two agents, as consultants, were shown the latest murder scene. Yesterday evening, a young woman had been walking down the street in Lower Manhattan. Witnesses described something dark and swift that had moved from the shadows of an alleyway, briefly silhouetted in the light, and had swept her into the darkness. To be found in a number of pieces, several minutes later by a patrol car. The terrified old man who'd seen the attack, was shaking so hard he could barely describe the creature, even half a day later. Some kind of green skinned beast that walked like a man.

"A dark green creature that walks on two legs. It's the creature from the black lagoon!" A ghost of humour from Alex.

"Shut up!" Abruptly Mulder wanted to punch Alex, forced himself to walk away. "Have we got a map plotted of all the attacks?"

It was retrieved from the file and he studied it. Saw that most of the attacks were in a five block radius of The old Imperial Theatre on Frenchman's Boulevard. Some prickle of instinct seemed to lead his gaze back to that map marker.

"Lets check out that old theatre, Alex." And his former lover stared back at him, irritated.

"More gut instinct, Mulder. You haven't exactly been hitting the mark with that lately, have you?"

//Now what did he mean by that?//

The streets were busy tonight. Just about every patrolman under the rank of commissioner was patrolling the streets. Mulder doubted whether there'd be much crime tonight. Other than the Beast, that is. An Officer Thomson was assigned to work with them, a fresh faced young officer, who looked about 18 and had perfect creases in his trousers.

"Was I ever that young?" Alex whispered to him unexpectedly. Mulder blinked in surprise and smiled tentatively at him.

"Sure you were, but your wardrobe wasn't as good." Trace of a frown then. Mulder quickly turned and followed Thomson towards the back entrance of the old theatre, in the side alley. Alex stood staring at him. For a moment it was as if things were back to normal again, like in the old days. Mulder had a wry sense of humour sometimes, and he loved it. Come to think of it he loved more than that.

//Stupid, Alex. Why did it take you till now to find out that you loved him. He doesn't even want you now. He won't even look at you most of the time. Why did you have to drive him away?//

The building was old but was still sometimes used for community theatre. It had a warren of tunnels under it, some connected with the sewers. A good place for a fugitive to hide, Thomson had said. Worth checking out. Thomson reached for the doorknob. It seemed to be stuck so he tugged on it again. For a moment the door resisted, then slammed into the wall as it burst outwards. A dark figure boiled out of the doorway, moving so fast. Crashing into the young officer, who shrieked in agony, his voice dying into a gurgle as his throat was torn out by claws and teeth. What was it? A werewolf or a demon? Mulder didn't know, but dived out of the way, trying to get to his gun. Too late. A heavy weight bowled him over. Hot, stinking breath against his cheek. Seeing burning red eyes staring at him with hatred. The creature raised its claws to strike, intending to rip his throat out with a powerful downward stroke.

For Alex, time seemed to slow down, He saw the young officer fall, surely dead from his injuries, blood spattering everywhere. Mulder dove out of the way, then the creature charged him with murderous intent. He moved. He would never know how, only that he had to help Mulder. His left arm seemed to be on fire, burning as it flowed through the air. He didn't see it change, only felt searing rage that seemed to boil in his veins. Screaming at his enemy, as power scorched him, need driving him. Moving so fast as he crossed the distance between them. With inhuman strength, seizing the creatures' arm as it tried to hurt Mulder. His own claws sinking so easily through the creatures' body, in killing rage. Ripping and tearing. The beast reeled away from him, staggered and fell heavily against the ground, dead at last. Mulder lay so white and still.

Alex was on his knees without a thought except for Mulder, sobbing incoherently. He pulled Mulder's body towards him, holding him close. Then strong arms were hugging him back fiercely. For a moment, neither of them moved, just needing to be close to each other. Then Mulder laughed hoarsely.

"Krycek, I didn't know you cared." Somehow, this time Alex didn't care that Mulder was trying to distance himself. He began to kiss every inch of his lover's face, holding him as tight as possible. Then it was as if some hidden tension in Mulder relaxed, and he leaned forward, resting his head against Alex's shoulder, his arms tightening. And let out a long shuddering sigh. After a while, Mulder pulled back slightly so he could look into Alex's eyes, then kissed him fiercely.

His nose wrinkled.

"Shit Alex, I don't mean to rain on your parade, but what the fuck is that smell? What the hell have you got all over you?" Mulder realised that his side was soaked with something utterly vile, where Alex's arm was holding him. Alex lifted up his arm to look at the ichor that had coated his hand when he....

// Oh god yes, when I grabbed it, and slit its' throat with my own claws//

Lifting up his suddenly unfamiliar, inhuman arm. Staring, dazed at the strangely scaly greenish clawed hand that was part of his body.

Shouts echoed at the end of the alley. Mulder saw his shock and the reason why. Though he looked startled, he turned round, yelled, "Down here", to the cops, then pulled his coat off, draping it over the demonic flesh. "Hide it," he hissed. Then the arrival of reinforcements.

It took Mulder quite a while to explain things, how in the struggle the beast had been killed, but eventually they managed to escape back to the hotel. Pushing Alex towards the shower to clean up, then phoning down for something from room service. Later cleaning himself up while Alex ravenously attacked the food.

Then feeling more refreshed, the two of them sitting, nervously, facing each other. Alex stared at his altered hand then looked so lost and scared, Mulder automatically found himself reaching out. Then Alex flung himself across the room, buried his face against Mulder's neck. He lifted his head.

"Mulder, I couldn't let anything happen to you I had to kill it."

Staring at his mutated arm. "He said I had to control it, or it would control me". Then barely a whisper, " I did it because I love you."

Then Mulder's lips found his, like a drowning man, his eyes filled with such love, neither of them could doubt how they felt. Alex's kisses trailing down Mulder's belly, tonguing a nipple till it came erect, then the other one. Resting his forehead against Mulder's chest contentedly, then hearing the comforting sound of his heartbeat.

Mulder kissed the top of his head tenderly.

"C'mon Alex, lets go to bed."

// Fox, you lecherous animal!//

Arms round each other, they lay awkwardly together on the small single bed. Alex turned trusting eyes to him. "Mulder, I want you inside me."

The older man gasped. "I've never done it that way before." A sly grin.

"Yeah, well Mulder, on top's fun too."

Alex's body was beautiful. Mulder started at the nape of his lover's neck,and began to kiss his way down. It had been so long, that only a few minutes contact with his beautiful body made Mulder as aroused as he had ever been. Feeling Alex moan at his touch.

He slid his hand down to feel the younger man's cock, already rock hard. Alex half turned into an embrace and they kissed again softly. Mulder was so tender this time, letting his fingers move in slow circles across the sensitive skin of Alex's belly and thighs, avoiding his erection for the moment. The younger man shuddered, his head falling back as those long fingers drove him out of his mind.

Mulder slid a hand down, rubbing the sensitive area under his lover's balls, fingering them lovingly. Then he uncertainly slid a finger into his lover's tightness, knowing from his own sexual encounters where the centre of pleasure was. Anointing him with lubricant. And Alex screamed in need, thrusting himself hard against that moving hand. His movements became frantic, his breath sobbing. He cried out as Mulder drew his hand away, momentarily, to slicken his own hard cock. So difficult to hold back now. Trying to enter his lover slowly and carefully, not wanting to cause him pain. Lying buried deep inside him, unmoving, enjoying the feel of being buried deep inside him. Alex wailed, his left hand flung back towards Mulder. He gripped it tightly. Then moving their bodies in unison, slowly building intolerable pressure, heat between them. Mulder deliberately kept it slow, making the other man sob with need, finally bringing him to orgasm. Those firm young muscles surrounding him, gripping him tightly. He screamed, too, as he came over the edge, spurting inside his lover.

Their bodies, slick with sweat, heartbeats slowing, still locked together.

"I love you," Mulder whispered the words, and Alex snuggled up against him, a look of sweet satisfaction on his face. Lying close together, just enjoying the contact so long denied them.

"Alex, did you mean what you said about loving me?"

"Oh, Foxy, come here. Mmmm."

"Say, you got any chocolate sauce?"

 

* * *

 

Dark Angel's Fire II - Demon's Kiss  
by Megaera

Feedback to   
FEEDBACK is life!  
NC-17  
SPOILERS None  
DISCLAIMER All X Files Characters belong to Chris Carter and Fox, I've just borrowed them for a while. I am not making any profit out of this, it's just for entertainment. The character of Kulain is mine, but Mr Carter, you can borrow him if you want to.  
Don't know where I found the time to do this. All that work I have to do. Sigh. This one was HARD to write. Please let me know if it works.

* * *

Dark Angel's Fire II  
Demon's Kiss  
by Megaera

Chapter 1

It had been several months since Fox Mulder had changed his life. Had gotten himself involved with Kulain, his mysterious supernatural partner. Who may be a demon, Who kisses like fire. But that hadn't been the only good thing to happen to him. Somehow Alex Krycek had wormed his way into Fox Mulder's heart and body. He had so entertained Kulain that he had gifted the younger man with an inhuman new arm. They made a strange threesome, all working to investigate occult cases for the F.B.I. And at night, satisfying other, more basic needs.

***

Skinner could feel the long hot burn of rage somewhere in the pit of his stomach. Hell, it was probably another ulcer. It was hardly surprising with Alex Krycek on his payroll. The young agent took every opportunity to make sly comments and seemed to take pleasure in irritating the hell out of him. It was a not very subtle form of revenge for past indignities.

He lounged in the chair facing the A.D. long legs stretched out in front of him. Green eyes watched Skinner in lazy contempt.

"You don't play by the rules Alex. You never did. We work as a team here, you've got to be able to trust another agent to guard your back!"

The young agent frowned at the mention of trust. "Would you guard my back then, Skinner?"

Skinner grimaced. "Touche Krycek!"

Alex sighed. "What do you want me to do?"

***

Mulder sat in the small basement office he called home. It was a little more crowded now, considering he had to share it with Alex and Kulain, his partners in more than one sense of the word. They were useful to the F.B.I. but he still had to fight every inch of the way to get any concessions for his team.

The E-mail incoming signal beeped on his computer. He leaned over and hit the mouse button, calling up the new message.

Dark pupilled eyes blinked in surprise. Kulain had seemed far away, meditating on who knows what. Now a flicker of interest crossed his face. Mulder couldn't really blame him, things had been boring lately. Most X files were referred to Scully and Spender, though he still had a few contacts left. Like this one. The Lone Gunmen. They had been quiet lately. In fact he hadn't spoken to them face to face since before he had met Kulain, although they had exchanged computer mail.

As he read the message, he suddenly felt a lot more cheerful. The challenge of investigating a case was something he loved., and they had sent him some interesting information.

*Say Mulder, now you're in charge of the Spooky Squad, we've got something on a local cult you might want to check out.*

Well, at least it would get them out of the office.

"Grab your jacket". He grinned at his partner Kulain. "Lets see if we can dig up a few guilty secrets".

As they walked through the halls of the F.B.I. building, Mulder found himself admiring the sleek grace of Kulain's well muscled body. He felt exhilaration that his lover was so handsome, and there was a dangerous edge to that attraction. Almost instinctively, men and women moved aside for him, because there was something predatory about his movements. In a way it was quite arousing. Mulder was typically unaware that both of them attracted glances, because some of that dark beauty was echoed in his own face.

The three Lone Gunmen were, as usual, locked away in their dark little rooms, paranoia being in the ascendant.

Frohike frowned when he saw Mulder's partner.

"No sign, I suppose, of the delectable Scully?"

"Sorry guys, Different department now. She gets the UFO's, I get the werewolves, vampires and demons".

"We'd heard!" Langly said. "Some interesting scuttlebutt on your new partner here. His nickname on the Internet is *Spawn of Satan*. I understand he's not too popular in some quarters of the F.B.I."

Mulder grinned at the unexpected look of consternation on Kulain's face. He muttered something disparaging about spawn being something frogs did, and scowled.

Byers laughed. "That's not the only rumour about you, Mulder!"

"Yeah", Frohike said. "There are some weird rumours about your personal life. Apparently you had a nervous breakdown and gave up women, including Scully".

Kulain decided on a sly revenge, and in one swift movement, slid his arms around Mulder from behind, pulling him backwards. With a yelp of shock, he landed on his lover's lap on the couch behind them.

"Mostly true", Kulain said in amusement, and the Lone Gunmen were treated to the rare sight of Fox Mulder blushing fiercely.

Seeing his dignity had all gone to hell, he relaxed into Kulain's arms with a resigned sigh.

//Dammit Kulain. This'll be all over the Internet by tomorrow!//

"Tell us about the cult", he said, desperately changing the subject. //Shut your mouth, Frohike, you look like you're catching flies//

"Um, Mulder, we've heard rumours that a lot of homeless people have been disappearing in the poorer parts of the city, near the waterfront. And when we ran a computer program to try and correlate the incidents, we found that ninety percent of them occur on nights when the Knights of Freedom have their meetings".

"It sounds worth a look", Mulder agreed. "Have you any more information on them?".

Byers looked scared. "Only the not insignificant fact that they claim that they can summon demons". He glanced at Kulain. "Rumour has it that you know something about that yourself. Some very odd things have been happening around you lately".

The dark figure behind Mulder lifted his head, and suddenly three very frightened Lone Gunmen were staring into slit pupilled, almost reptilian eyes.

"People who spread my secrets around don't live long enough to ask questions", he hissed.

Mulder turned, pressing his hands onto Kulain's shoulders. "It's O.K. I trust them".

"I preferred your paranoia!", he said coldly, pushed Mulder aside on the couch, and strode out of the door.

"Mulder, you know when I said you were insane?", Frohike said. "Well I think I was understating the case. A lot!"

"You're probably right", Mulder said, and gave a half rueful smile, "But the sex is great!"

***

//Damn it Alex, how do you get yourself into these stupid situations? I'll tell you how! Doing your boss a favour because you feel guilty about beating him up one time//

Dressed in his black leather jacket, and tight jeans, he felt more at home than in an F.B.I. suit. His gun was concealed in a shoulder holster under one arm. He was used to moving in the shadows, and his former career in espionage had brought some benefits. Skinner had taken advantage of that when he asked Krycek to meet a contact of his, down on the waterfront. He could think of better things to do at midnight, mostly involving Mulder and Kulain and some entertaining athletics. He sank back into the shadows of the alley, as he saw the lights of an approaching car, which briefly illuminated his corner. The car pulled up, and an older man climbed out. He had a briefcase in one hand and he slowly began to pick his way between the piles of rubbish lining the alley. Krycek moved out to meet him.

The elderly man jumped when he caught sight of Krycek, then relaxed slightly as Alex asked, "You the one that called Skinner?"

//Amateurs!//

"Yes!" the man whispered, though no one was around. "I need him to see this". And he brandished the briefcase. He pushed it into Alex's hands, and turned to hurry away.

//Oh great! I'm freezing my butt off because Skinner needed a delivery boy//

A strange sound echoed down the alley, like fingernails scratching on a giant blackboard. He heard the older man cry out in fear. Then a huge, dark shape filled the other end of the alley, blocking out the dim light of streetlamps. An impossibly large figure seemed to be walking, if that was the correct term, down the alley. Except that its' movements were all wrong. Perhaps slithering would be a better expression. Something reminded Alex irresistibly of a slug. But they didn't have more than one set of glowing golden eyes. The figure reached the cowering, paralysed old man, and there was a hideous scream, mixed with a strange crunching noise. Then the screaming stopped. That the other noise continued was more than the terrified agent could take, and he took off at a dead run, briefcase clutched under one arm, unashamed of his fear at such a malignant violation of the laws of nature. To his horror, the noises kept getting closer, and he realised that IT was chasing him, faster than he could run.

***

*When he stormed out of the Lone Gunmans' office, Kulain had felt a boiling rage take him. He would never normally allow a human to take the liberties those fools had. But Mulder's regard was important to him. He left their car far behind as he strode into the night. Time to take out his frustrations in the joys of the hunt. To stalk and mete out justice on one or two of the lesser predators of the night, of which there were many in a city of ten million people. At least he claimed it was justice, but in truth he enjoyed the occasional spilling of blood.*

***

Krycek ran until his heart was pounding, and his lungs burned with the need to draw in air. The thing didn't even seem to notice. He tried to direct his flagging body towards the imagined safety of the better lit area of the city, far ahead. He knew he wouldn't make it, even if he ditched the briefcase, so he held onto it. Perhaps Mulder could use it to catch his killer.

The thing was less than twenty feet behind him now. As he forced himself on, the last thing he expected was the sudden pounce from an alley as he passed. His body was slammed painfully into the wall, held still by the pressure of a heavy body, and a hand closed over his mouth. Long fingers pulled the briefcase from the agents' trembling hands and flung it into the creatures' path.

"Be very still!". A hissed warning in his ear. He didn't really need the warning. The thing was less than five feet from the entrance to the alley. Frozen, he stared as the faint illumination of the distant lights showed him what had been following him. He couldn't even scream, the fear was so great, and only the pressure of the others' body against his kept his legs from giving way. The thing was slimy and grey, with writhing tentacles, lined with eyes and spiny suckers. There was such a sense of evil, it was hard even to breathe. Then a change in its' posture, a terrible sense of searching regard as it looked for him. The others' arms tightened around him painfully, and it seemed as though darkness flowed around them like a cocoon, hiding them from its' sight.

The thing turned away, and pounced on the briefcase, ripping and tearing at it, then one tentacle pulled out a small carved figurine made of green olivine stone. It began to crush the statue between those deadly tentacles, then an odd darkness, like a shadow passed over it. There was that noise of torturous screeching and he knew with instinctive certainty that it had gone.

He let out his breath in a slow hiss, as his rescuers' arms released him and turned to look at him. Familiar dark eyes gleamed at him. He should have known. Kulain. He swayed, and would have fallen then if his lover had not reached out to hold him steady.

"What was it?", he whispered.

"Something from the nether reaches of hell!", came the reply.

Mulder drowsily lifted his head. He had been half reclined on the couch, waiting for Alex and Kulain to come home. The apartment door opened and to his surprise, they came in together. Surprise turned to shock when he saw the condition that Alex was in. He was filthy, and a spectacular bruise covered his cheek, from where he had hit the wall. He was pale and unkempt. Kulain abruptly turned and left. Alex sank down onto the couch and Mulder realised he was shaking uncontrollably in shock. He led his unresisting lover back to the bedroom, and began to undress him.

Alex stared dully at him, then as Mulder pushed him down onto the bed, grabbed hold of him. He buried his face in Mulder's chest and his sudden loud sobs shocked his lover.

Alex clung to Mulder for a long time, just needing the normality of human contact, Mulder's hands gently stroking his back and shoulders.

"What happened? Alex? Are you O.K.?". The concern was so obvious in his voice. He shuddered at the memory of IT.

"Hold me tight Fox. Don't leave me alone tonight. And for fucks' sake, don't switch the light off". Mulder looked surprised at the request, but gently drew him down onto the bed into a close embrace.

*Hours later, Kulain returned to the apartment. He knew now that he was not the only one of his kind here, but how far that would affect him, he didn't know. But he knew that the other must be very powerful to control a servant like the hunter he had seen tonight. It would have taken Alex without a trace, if he had not hidden his lover from its' gaze. The fact that another could work in the city and he had not known of it was the most disturbing thing of all.*

Kulain slid into the bed containing his humans. Alex was instantly awake, his nerves still shattered by his encounter. He moved away from Mulder, sliding his arms round Kulain's neck, and softly began to kiss his lover's chest. As strong arms went around him, he sighed, feeling safe once again. Kulain let his fingers slide down the athletic body, making small circles with fingertips against the firm belly and thighs.

Alex moaned and his breath quickened. He began to rub himself like a cat in heat, against Kulain, feeling the erection stir against his belly.

Then he turned in that embrace and began to use his hips in a quite different motion. Kulain's fingers reached over and retrieved lubricant from the side of the bed, then he began to slide his fingers gradually into Alex's willing body. The young human's moans were delicious, Kulain decided, as was his enthusiasm. He had noticed before that fear seemed to act as an aphrodisiac on Krycek's body. Mulder stirred at the sounds of pleasure, then as he realised the condition Alex was in, leaned over and kissed him deeply. Alex drank in the taste of life and joy from his lover's mouth

//Foxy, I'm still alive. Prove it to me. I need to know they didn't get me this time//

Mulder's lips were carving their own path down Alex's body. He was finding it difficult to keep himself from flinging him down and urgently claiming his prize. But then a second stimulation claimed his attention. The slow welcome pressure of the bigger man behind him, as he slowly began to slide into Alex's hotness. Then Mulder's mouth found the sensitive spot on the end of his penis and fireworks began to explode in his head. Both of them began moving together. How did Mulder know just when Kulain was going to thrust so that he could slide his mouth down in that particular way? That was his last conscious thought before his body bucked in orgasm and he found that he could scream, after all, that night.

The morning light shining into his eyes woke him, oddly comforting. He opened his eyes fully, and realised that he was in the warm, secure tangle of Fox and Kulains' bodies as they lay on either side of him. Mulder lifted his head and watched him.

"What happened?" he asked again.

"I don't really know, Foxy. One minute I was Skinner's messenger boy, the next minute I'm running for my life from a monster".

Kulain's hand gently stroked Alex's tousled hair. "Your friends were right about one thing Mulder. Someone in this city is calling up creatures from hell, and we're all in danger because of it".

"Even you?" Alex asked hoarsely.

"The Hunter hunted," he said softly.

//Now how the hell am I going to tell all of this to Skinner?//

***

*The hunt had begun. He and the other would stalk each other now. He would search the city and seek out the source of dark power. The other must know it had been thwarted last night, so it's suspicions would be aroused. Dangerous but exhilarating, the competition for this world.*

Skinner had already been informed about his dead contact, by the time Mulder and Krycek arrived that morning. They were ushered straight into his office without having to wait for an appointment.

"What the hell happened, Alex? It wasn't exactly a tricky job, bringing me information from a retired colleague."

"You didn't tell me what he was involved in!", Alex's anger burst out. "There was a fucking demon after him! God knows what it did to him."

In answer, the D.A. threw a pile of crime scene photos onto the desk.

Mulder's eyes widened, and even the strong stomached Alex felt sick. The older man's flesh had been stripped from his bones, leaving suit, wallet, even watch undisturbed.

//That nearly happened to me. So much for watching each others backs//

"How did you get away, Krycek? And did you find out anything useful?"

In reply, Alex placed the broken remains of the statue on the desk. "All for this! If Kulain hadn't turned up, this is all that would be left".

Skinner shook his head in honest confusion. "My friend was a pipeline to a new cult that's sprung up recently. One with a lot of rich and famous members. He was worried about something he saw connected with this."

Mulder frowned. "I've had a report of a cult being involved in some missing person cases. We can take the statue to be checked at the museum and see if any leads come up. I don't like the feel of this case, though, if demons are involved."

Skinner stared at him intently. "I thought you had inside knowledge, Mulder".

He shook his head dejectedly. "I'm sorry. He isn't talking to us at the moment."

It took about an hour in the depths of the museum, showing various experts the fragments before the two agents met with any success. An old professor who specialised in Babylonian studies blinked, owl like, as he studied the figurine.

"Ah yes, definitely Ugaritic. Olivine basalt, if I'm not mistaken. You do know that it's a representation of the demon Tiamat. Quite a nasty figure in mythology really, leader of the demon war against humanity in the time of the old gods".

"Uh, very interesting, I'm sure Prof, but do you know anyone round here who collects art like that?", Alex said bluntly.

The old man pursed his lips for a moment, then nodded.

"There's a healthy market for Near Eastern art at the moment. I understand it's quite the in thing! Most imports to this area would be through the Chandler Import Warehouse on the Waterfront. They sell to all the big galleries".

***

Mulder and Krycek sat in their car, outside the warehouse for a while, watching the distinct lack of activity.

"I suppose they get big orders shipped in regularly", Mulder said," but it looks dead at the moment".

"O.K. Mulder, you want to do this official or unofficial?" Alex grinned slyly at the look of shock on his partner's face. "Have you never broken in somewhere to get information?"

His partner sighed. "Not as often as you apparently!"

Alex led the way to the back of the building, where they found it possible to clamber up the fire escape. "This way is usually good", Alex whispered, and he pulled out a set of lock picks from his pocket.

"You've been carrying those around with you in the bureau building?".

More shock.

"Yeah Foxy. I'm bad!". He ignored the filthy look Mulder gave him and began to pick the first floor door.

They crept into the building, Alex leading the way. They were in a corridor next to an empty suite of offices. Mulder slipped into one, and began to quietly go through the paperwork. Alex went to the end of the corridor, and carefully peered over the rail into the factory space stretched out below. As might be expected in an import firm, the place was full of medium to large packing cases. He silently flattened himself to the wall, as a man passed through the space below. He headed to a door in the wall, and in the brief illumination from the interior, Alex saw a flight of stone steps leading downwards. It was pretty rare to have a basement, this close to the river. It was probably pretty damp.

A light touch on his arm made him jump. Heart pounding, he turned his head to see Mulder grinning at him.

//Pretty good, Foxy. I'll make an operative of you yet.//

"There's a basement", he hissed softly. "Want to check it out Mulder?".

He shrugged.

"We've got this far, lets go the whole way!"

//Tell it to me tonight, Foxy!//

The two agents crept down to the door, then Mulder pulled it open, and Alex dashed in. They made their way downwards, and it soon became obvious that they were in a series of underground rooms. Mulder shivered at the memories that came rushing in on him. They moved towards the light at the far end of the hall, and cautiously peered into the dank room. A group of about twenty people were standing in a loose circle, with a man standing at its centre. Then from a door at the side of the room, a pretty young blonde woman emerged, flanked by two of the toughest guards Mulder had ever seen.

He had read a thousand descriptions of this in his books. A black mass of some sort. And what was going to happen to the woman.

"We hit paydirt on the first strike, Mulder!", Alex whispered.

"Can't you guess what they're going to do to her Alex! We've got to stop it!"

Both agents drew their guns.

"You want to do this without backup? It'll be both our funerals if it goes wrong!". Alex looked worried.

"Wait a minute, then", Mulder said, and pulled out his mobile phone to make a call. The ceremony in front of them was hotting up, as the young woman was led to stand before the man in the centre of the circle.

"Backup's going to be too late, Alex. You want them to kill her, and summon another demon?" Alex shook his head. "Let's do it!"

"Freeze, F.B.I.", Mulder yelled, as he flung himself through the door.

With a resigned sigh, Alex followed. Who did Skinner call the reckless one?

The cultists turned to stare at them, many looked shocked, others angry.

"Cover them Alex!", Mulder said, and pushed his way into the circle, carefully keeping out of his partner's line of fire.

"Come on. We wont let them hurt you", he said to the young woman.

Beautiful eyes looked at him in gratitude, and then his arms were full of trembling flesh as she clung to him in relief and happiness.

He began to back away, towards the entrance to the room, his arm around her waist, drawing her with him. Then at the door a dark shadow appeared suddenly.

***

*He was close enough now to sense the edge of the other demon's thoughts - cruel amusement and the preparation for the kill. It was poised to strike a new victim. In that brief, unguarded moment of bloodlust, Kulain saw the face of the target - Mulder!*

***

"Mulder! Don't move!" Kulain's familiar voice sounded at the door. He risked a glance, and frowned at the grim expression on his lover's face.

"It's O.K. Kulain. I'm coming out now", he said, continuing to edge slowly away from the cultists.

"Mulder, freeze!!!" The words were more of a snarl than a shout. Kulain felt the aggressive tension between him and his opponent heighten, and he stood poised to spring at the other.

Mulder had never heard such fierce emotion in his lover's voice before, and he found himself automatically obeying. But his next words were shocking.

"Give her back to them, Mulder!"

"There's no way I'm doing that!" He shouted angrily. "Is this some sort of demon honour? Everyone gets their own victim?"

"Alex". Kulain spoke softly. "If he doesn't let her go, shoot him!"

Green eyes went wide, looking between his two lovers. Something in Kulain's face made him pause for a moment. Then he aimed his gun at Mulder. "Do it Fox!", he said sadly, seeing his partner's disbelief. Mulder stared at Alex for an eternity, saw the anguish in his face.

"Please", the young man begged, his fingers shaking as they held the gun on him.

Slowly ,unwillingly, Mulder began to lower his arms. "I'm sorry", he murmured to the girl. She smiled, reached up a long fingernailed hand, and brushed it down his cheek, onto his neck.

"So am I," she said, "I was looking forward to eating your liver!".

She gave a little laugh at his shock

"We meet again, Tia", Kulain said coldly. Delicate little feet turned towards him, a pretty face smiled.

"You really care about these vermin, don't you Kulain? How different from our last encounter, when the floors of your citadel ran deliciously red with their blood for weeks." Kulain just watched her warily.

"Dear brother, you've become so boring!" A small scarlet tongue, forked at the tip, flicked out over ruby lips.

Mulder was frozen in horror, realising the danger he was in. Then he was aware of a vast searing evil that seemed to blast his soul. In a single fluid motion, the girl became something else entirely, with golden eyes, and a vast, serpentine body full of teeth. Agony blossomed across his left arm as it got in a vicious bite on the way past, and a flick of the tail dispatched the unfortunate sacrifice, the man in the middle of the circle. Then she was gone, past Alex and out of the door.

Kulain made no move to follow. Most of the cultists ran screaming in the other direction, the sudden shock of that demonic encounter being more than most of them could face. Mulder's legs buckled, and he fell, dizzy with pain, onto his knees. Kulain moved forward, and slipped his arm round his collapsed lover, hugging him tightly. Distantly, the sound of sirens could be heard. Alex fumbled with Mulder's jacket and shirt, and stared in horror at the huge bloody bite on his forearm.

"You were lucky", Kulain said softly, "she was willing to trade you for her freedom. And she didn't want to face me today. Otherwise she could have taken her time killing you. I seem to remember that each nail carries a different fast acting poison."

//More shit to explain to Skinner. Why me? Huh Mulder?//

It took an hour in the emergency room for the astonished and fearful doctor to clean and bandage up the huge bite. Then the three of them headed back to the office, and an interview with Skinner.

"Let me get this straight. The two of you decide to break in to a factory, go into a situation where you should have had backup, lost the main suspect and her cronies. Anything else I should know?"

"Yep", Alex said, "she's Kulain's sister!"

Skinner stared at Kulain. He laughed gently.

"Only in the sense that we are of the same species, Alex". More amusement as Skinner shook his head at Alex. So mocking sometimes, his young lover. Which made them perfectly matched.

***

Alex looked at Mulder in concern. He looked tired and miserable. Skinner was making sure all of the flak headed their way. Including about two tonnes of paperwork that had to be done "like yesterday". Mulder sat despondently at his desk, fiddling with a blue form in triplicate. Alex stood up, moved behind Mulder and slid his arms around him.

"C'mon Fox, you need a break. Why don't we go and get a coffee or something?" He shook his head wearily. "That won't help with all this paperwork Alex." He rubbed his arm which was beginning to ache.

//Another jacket ruined//

Kulain reached out and caught his hand. "You couldn't have won against her, even if you had spotted her immediately. Don't worry about it". The concern in both faces made Mulder pause.

//Maybe I will take a break, then//

***

*The three of them walked into the refreshment area. Kulain was aware of the glances they attracted, he and his two humans. Hostility, fear and challenge were predominant, and he felt a wave of rage that humans should dare judge a Lord of the Sith! Tia's treachery had brought home to him how vulnerable Alex and Mulder were. Perhaps it was time to change that. To //manipulate // reality a little.*

"The Unholy Trinity", Spender said in an undertone to Scully, as the three agents walked in. She scowled at him in annoyance.

"Mulder, do you want to join us?" Then she spotted his bandaged arm. "Mulder, what happened?" He shook his head, not wanting to answer.

"Alex?", she said.

"Would you believe me, Scully, if I said he'd been bitten by a girl who was really a major Babylonian demon?"

A blistering glance.

"Then I guess I'd better not say that. She was just a pretty girl who didn't want to be fucked with.

"Alex!" He looked, startled at Kulain. "If you mention her again, I'll make you regret it".

The quiet anger in Kulain's voice was somehow more terrifying even than facing the hunter demon had been. His face went white and he fled.

For a moment Mulder sat immobile as well, then he scrutinised his lover's face. "I don't understand".

A look of regret crossed the beautiful demon face. My self control isn't good around Tia. We were close once. We chose different paths but I don't particularly want to kill her."

//Was Kulain really giving some sort of apology?//

"Let's go home, Mulder. Leave Alex to calm down". Then, when Mulder hesitated. "I want you Fox!"

A fierce blush.

*Manipulation of humans was so easy sometimes. And the rewards were so delightful*

Their lovemaking that night was spectacular. Mulder had lain naked in the bed, waiting for his lover to exit the shower. Then Kulain had come to him and immediately begun to kiss him fiercely, sliding his arms around his lover. Mulder tangled his hands in his lover's dark hair and pulled him down, so that the strong body was pushing him hard onto the bed. He wanted it that way, needing the passionate embraces, the hot rush of pleasure that came with it.

Kulain must have needed to exorcise his violent impulses too, for with little preparation, he flipped Mulder onto his stomach and pressed his hot erection against the human's body. He felt a sudden raging hunger for the young body beneath him, not in human form, but in his true shape. He shapeshifted, heard Mulder's breath catch as he saw, not just those erotically talented talons, but the powerful scaled arms that twined around him. He knew that this form would make the human instinctively acquiescent, would wake dark lust in him. With scant regard for his lover's welfare, he thrust into the yielding body beneath him. Mulder screamed out loud, as pain and pleasure exploded into him. Arching his body back, the taloned hands closing around his. Kulain's wild thrusts made the human beneath him sob with ecstasy, the friction generated by scaled skin sliding across his was exhilarating. And those incredible, powerful thrusts made him feel so out of control. Kulain mercilessly bearing down on the wildly enthusiastic human, deliberately lengthening the period of the human's rapture, until Mulder was incoherently pleading with him to finish it. Finally, he let the human reach his orgasm, and released the control he held on his own body, allowing himself to climax. He sent his seed into Mulder's slick depths.

The human sank against him, utterly exhausted. Then, taking advantage of Mulder's unguarded state, he poured dark energy into the young body, //altering// certain pathways in the brain, and //nudging// the DNA.

Mulder moaned slightly, dazed eyes opened, staring uncomprehendingly at the cold black fire that seemed to run across his skin. So Kulain used the power of his mind to gently trigger the sleep centres of his lover's brain. Mulder wouldn't remember, of course, but the effects of his intervention would be significant.

*He removed the obsolete bandage from Mulder's arm, studying the newly healed skin, just one effect of his intrusion. Next, he would have to take Alex unawares, a more difficult, and arousing, prospect. He did so enjoy the challenges taming that particular human offered him.*

***

Alex felt a mixture of anger and misery. He had forced himself to go back to the office and work, trying not to think about his lover's unexpected reaction. It was almost a relief when Skinner appeared at the door.

"Another assignment Alex to get you out of my hair. Do you want it? Oregon!"

"Yeah. I need to get away from here. It's so damn claustrophobic in this office!"

//Hair? Huh!//

***

Chapter 2

***

*She had been forced to flee when her foolish brother had come to the aid of the humans. Oh the hatred she felt for them! And the two he had bound to him with ties of flesh and spirit. Those two would be worth killing! She would have given any price, just to make Kulain angry, so when a chance came, she took it. She chose a dark ally to advance her cause.

***

Alex was distinctly pissed off. Two weeks in the wilds of Oregon, investigating reports of mysterious lights in the woods round Ashton Mountain. Normally, that wouldn't be a big deal, but some kid claimed to have seen a hole open up in the mountainside.

"Goddamit Mulder! You're sending me after the Pied Piper now". His partner's thoroughness sometimes irritated him. In truth, being away from home was driving him to distraction.The loneliness of a cold bed, without the safety Kulain brought, and Mulder's gentle arms. He felt briefly tempted to pick up some stranger for a night of hot sex, just to give himself some temporary relief. Being alone at night was making him so horny.

The plan for that morning was to hike up to Lone Pine Bluff and check out the scenery. He guessed it should take about half a day. The young agent was superbly fit and had often hiked in the wilderness before. The country was fairly rough, but didn't have too bad a reputation for bears. He had been systematically quartering most of the area around the mountain, and a few more days should see him finish the investigation.

He started on the long uphill climb, leaving his hire car in a convenient layby. The mountain rose in a series of parallel ridges, each higher than the next, up to a high, fractured peak, well over a thousand feet high, but he didn't intend to go that far. For one thing, he had no specialised climbing equipment. The kid wasn't exactly sure where he'd been camping, only that it had been "way below a tall peak". Idiots.

The climb became tougher, as he got higher. He became glad that he had dressed warmly. Most of the time, in the thin sunshine, he felt comfortable, but when his course dipped behind one of the sweeping ridges, he moved into darkly shadowed areas, that seemed bone chillingly cold, in comparison. He stopped, panting, at the top of a particularly steep ridge and turned to look out over the countryside that stretched below him. In the late November air, he could see the last dying remnants of fiery Autumn colour.

His head whirled at the sound of pebbles rattling on the side of the bluff, about 50 feet uphill. Something dark was moving in the pine trees. Instinctively he ducked down, and watched as the figure slowly moved downhill., keeping in the most shadowed areas of the trees. Down into the shadow of the ridge he crouched on. It didn't look like a bear. Twisting awkwardly, he fumbled the backpack off his shoulder and pulled out his handgun. Then quickly following, running along the top of the ridge, watching the figure below him. It seemed to move into an area of deeper shadow, then disappeared. And the ground heaved under him, knocking him off his feet. There was a strange screeching noise in the air, hauntingly familiar, its tone rising higher and higher so that within a few seconds it was out of the range of human hearing.

There WAS something going on here! Carefully he began to move towards the cleft in the rock, where the thing had disappeared. Close up, there was no sign of anything unusual. Just a blank wall of bare, cream coloured rock. He reached out to touch the rock with his left hand.

Contact.

Light flared then, and the ground bucked again. An unbelievable pain in his arm. An irresistible pull forwards, he was falling towards the rock. Then a shock of heat across his whole body as he fell through the rock. Falling, falling down into the darkness. He screamed in terror. Then he fell through a rainbow of light and he landed on a sandy floor, his breath exploding in a whuff of air at the impact.

Dazed, he lifted his head, staring around him. Somewhere in that terrible //transition// , he had lost his grip on his gun. He lay in a narrow passageway that stretched off into the almost darkness. The rocky sides of the passage were no longer creamy limestone, but were an iron rich red, sandstone like rock. The flickering of light somewhere down the passage gave him the distinct impression that he was in a giant gullet.

//Oh great, now I'm doing deep throat from the inside//

Well, at least it was pretty warm.

A clattering noise somewhere in front of him. He didn't seem to have a choice about which way to go, so he set off towards the sound. He certainly couldn't leave the way he had come in. There was no sign of an entrance. He followed the passage towards the distant flickering light. Perhaps it was daylight.

// Sure Alex, maybe I'm even in Kansas//

Then turned the corner and found himself in a vast cavern.

He felt as if his heart had stopped. He whimpered deep in his throat and found his back hard against the rock behind him. At least a hundred pairs of eyes had turned to stare at the intruder. And the owners of those eyes looked like demons! Angry ones! Terror flooded his mind and instinct took over He tried to turn and run, but even with his exceptionally fast reflexes, he had no chance. Two of them moving over the rock like spiders, over his head, to drop down in front of him. He staggered back, then his arms were seized, and he was slammed against the rock. Agony briefly made his vision dim, as a projection of rock smacked against his side. The pain told him he had broken at least one rib. Then he was being dragged forward, and pushed savagely down. Impacting with the floor at the front of the cavern, in front of a huge demon whose skin shone green-gold. Topaz eyes regarded him coldly. One of the other demons ground his cheek into the dirt with the pressure of a foot against his head.

"Bow down, human, before the Lord Nazath".

//Oh god! someone please help me! please.. //

The big demon reached down with one hugely muscled arm, and gripped his hair firmly. Lifting him excruciatingly. Desperately, he tried to claw with his left hand at the imprisoning fist.

With a hiss of recognition, the creature let go. He fell to his knees, doubled over, clutching the agony in his side. A wave of pain swept over him. His vision dimmed. Somewhere he heard a voice dark with laughter.

"So, finally our brother Kulain has made a mistake. Letting his servant come near us! He should have known Tiamat would warn us ". Hissing laughter all around him. "Look after this one VERY well". Then the pain in his chest overwhelmed him and mercifully, Alex fainted.

*Kulain felt uneasy. Normally it was easy for him to reach out and touch his young lovers minds. He could feel Mulder now, sleeping quietly on his couch in front of the T.V. The agent was dreaming some odd dream about Alex and chocolate. Rather puzzling. But then he rarely showed an interest in human delicacies. But Alex? Earlier, he had felt the distant touch of physical exertion from the young man's mind. But now there was an odd blankness. As if he wasn't there any more, which should be impossible.*

Mulder woke, and yawned hugely. Then sat up. Kulain sat on the edge of the couch next to him and the human slid his fingers round Kulain, resting his head against his lover's strong back.

"Alex called?" he murmured sleepily. Kulain shook his head.

"I wish he'd remember his responsibilities", Mulder sighed. "I guess he's still mad at you".

Kulain decided he needed to take his mind off his uneasiness. Alex, being Alex, usually turned up with some excuse. He turned and pulled Mulder towards him, so that the human ended up sitting on his lap. Eager to play this particular game, Fox straddled his lover, wrapping his legs round the strongly muscled torso. He twined his arms around Kulain's neck and began to kiss him. He began a delicious bout of rubbing himself against Kulain, hard already. He pressed himself tightly against the bigger man. Grinding himself against Kulain's powerful cock. Mulder began to pull at Kulain's clothing, urgently loosening the buttons.

Kulain's hands pulling the turtleneck he wore over his head. Awkwardly fumbling with his pants. Finally, none too soon, both of them were naked. Mulder lowered his tongue to his lover's big cock, licking it all over, rubbing the precum over the big shaft. He turned in Kulain's lap and his lover's fingers began to work at his tight opening. Thrusting himself back onto those expertly applied fingers eagerly. Two fingers worked their way inside him, raking his prostrate. Fire. Crying out with the urgency of his need, he lowered himself onto that beautiful upraised cock in Kulain's lap. Kulain sank back against the couch, Mulder in his lap, moving himself up and down, impaled. Kulain's hands clutched at his shoulders. Then, overwhelmed, he came. Tight muscles gripped Kulain's cock and with a groan, he spurted endlessly into the white hot depths. Mulder fell back against him, breathing hard.

The phone rang.

Mulder groaned. "Shit! Oh shit!"

Kulain's hand reached back, fumbling for the handset. Then passed it to a panting Mulder.

" Er. Mulder here". He listened. Kulain felt his sudden stillness. Then he pulled away from Kulain, sitting upright. Kept listening. Turned to Kulain, his face pale.

"Alex is missing! They found his car an hour ago, when he didn't check back with the local police. They think he's had an accident on the mountain.

***

It was the pain in his side, a slow nagging ache, that woke Alex. Slowly coming to awareness. His left arm was stretched out uncomfortably above him. Bewildered, he lifted his head. His arm was shackled to the side of a huge stone chair, his body dumped unceremoniously on the floor next to it. This wasn't the cavern he'd been in before, but a smaller room. It reeked of luxury. Soft, muted colours of expensive Indian rugs. Silk draperies. A brazier burned in the centre of the room, giving light and burning sweet smelling incense. He pulled at the restraint, but he could tell it was hopeless. The thing was two inches wide, and made of thick iron, welded to a chain that emerged from the armrest of the chair.

"My pet!" A coldly amused voice. The golden eyed demon strode into the room, flopped his body into the chair. Reached out to stroke Alex's hair. He jerked away, and the demon caught at the end of the chain nearest him, yanking Alex towards him.

"You can't go anywhere, little one". Laughter. "So you're Kulain's little lover. Won't he be angry when he finds out what's happened to you!"

Alex closed his eyes as the demon, so gently, passed a meaty hand across his hair. Revulsion filled him at the somehow nauseating touch.

"You know Kulain?", he whispered. Stillness. He caught his breath as a demon face leaned above him.

"He is the enemy of my blood. I live to kill him. To destroy everything that gives him pleasure". A sudden evil smile.

"He'll come after you, little one. Then he'll pay."

The fingers tightened in his hair, and his tormentor hissed the words. "And don't speak, human. Your babbling offends me!".

Nazath slammed the human's forehead against the stone edge of the chair. Letting the unconscious body fall, he smiled and began to plan.

***

*He moaned. Pain was a constant, hammering against his nerve ends. Pain from a dozen different places across his battered body. His mind wouldn't seem to focus. Something was wrong, but instinctively, his mind shied away from it. He just tried to curl his body up protectively, huddled against a hard surface behind him. If only the pain would go away, maybe everything would be alright. But deep down he knew it wasn't.*

Mulder was becoming increasingly uneasy. Alex may be irresponsible, but he was generally pretty good at staying in contact. Though he often pretended otherwise, he loved Mulder, and relied on him a lot for emotional support. Something had to have happened. When he had suggested to Kulain that they leave for the airport, his lover hadn't shown any amusement at his anxiety, but had quietly nodded, and began to prepare for the journey. That was probably the most disturbing aspect of the situation, if HE was worried.

When they checked in at the airport, they found that the next plane to depart for the Pacific north - west was at midnight. There were no economy seats left, so the two agents had to sit at the front of the aircraft in the first class cabin. It was a little more than Mulder could afford, but to his surprise, Kulain had produced a gold credit card. The defence work he occasionally did for the government paid well.

Mulder leaned back in the seat, his long legs stretched out in front of him. He'd tried Alex's hotel a couple of times on his mobile phone, but there was still no sign of the young agent. The word was that the local search and rescue squad was gearing up. He felt sick to the pit of his stomach.

Kulain looked at him with concern. Then he reached over and slid his arm round Mulder, drawing him close. For once, he didn't care what people thought. He leaned into the warmth of the embrace, resting his head on Kulain's shoulder. The pretty young stewardess came along the aisle and turned to give them refreshments. Her mouth opened in an "O" of surprise, then she grinned and winked at Kulain. Gradually, the motion of the aircraft began to relax him and he drowsed against his lover's comfortable body.

***

Alex leaned his head back against the side of the stone throne. The coolness seemed to help the throbbing pain in his head, though he could feel the dried blood on his forehead, where it had been gashed by the sharp stone edge. As long as he didn't try to move too much, he could minimise the discomfort.

The big demon entered the room, followed by half a dozen lackeys. Alex sat very still, not wanting to draw attention to himself. But the demons were obviously preoccupied. One of them began shouting and gesticulating at Nazath, who casually backhanded the smaller creature. With a hiss of rage, he turned and stormed to his throne, hatred burning in his eyes. Then his gaze fell on the young human. A look of unutterable contempt crossed the cruel face.

"How could he feel pleasure with you? Filth!". His nose wrinkling in disgust, the demon scowled.

"He's coming here for you, as we knew he would".

Alex felt a wave of hope. Though Kulain had been irritated with the young human, somehow Alex never doubted that Kulain would defend him.

"Yeah!", Alex whispered, "He'll kick your ass!"

The demon's eyes went incandescent with rage. He reached out, caught the human's arm and bent his wrist back savagely until it snapped! Alex screamed in torment, the fresh pain tipping him over the edge. He felt himself falling into the comforting darkness.

The demon smiled then, the human's pain was delicious. Then decisively, he turned to his minions. "Send a demon to intercept him. Delay his approach here. Hurt him!".

***

The seatbelt light chimed on the wall in front of Mulder. Stirring himself, he fumbled with the belt. Then he nudged Kulain softly in the ribs with an elbow.

"Do up your seatbelt, they'll come and check!". Kulain's lip curled in contempt.

Then the Captain's voice came over the intercom. She warned them that they were moving into an area of stormy weather, there may be some turbulence. She was right. As the flight went on, the plane began to shudder and heave as it entered the storm. Mulder shivered. If Alex was out, injured in this kind of weather.

There was an explosion of fire as lightning struck the plane. An electrical discharge arced impossibly across the passenger compartment. Kulain out of his seat with a roar of rage, lunging forward. Then there were two of them, Kulain and a demon, struggling , wrestling each other in the centre of the compartment. Teeth and claws whirled as they attacked each other. The passengers began to scream and the little stewardess cowered in terror. Kulain pushed the demon away with a feral growl, then drew his hand back. Darkness leapt from his hand, striking, impaling the other demon. With a shriek, the creature dived away, struck the cabin wall, then chaos erupted. The demon flung itself //through// the thin aluminium skin in its eagerness to escape Kulain's wrath.

Explosive decompression!

The plane began to fall, and Mulder could only cling helpless to his seat. Gradually, the plane began to level out, as the pilot valiantly struggled to bring her aircraft under control. Kulain stood, impossibly unmoved by the rush of air, staring at the rip in the planes' skin.

Mulder felt himself begin to breath again. But the damage was so extensive that the plane had to divert to a nearer airport. A delay of hours in getting to Oregon. Mulder felt the tears of frustration running down his face. Then abruptly, it dawned on him what had just happened. They had been deliberately attacked. Kulain's rage was evident.

"Demons!". He hissed the word. Seeing Mulder had failed to grasp the reason for his anger, he seemed to hesitate momentarily. Then, "If they are involved, then Alex is in real trouble. He's not lost in the hills!"

He stared at Mulder's white face.

"I know the hand of my enemy in this!"

***

//Stupid Alex .. Stupid. Stupid. Why did you have to open your mouth! 'Lane, where are you?//

Another pain to add to an already long list. He cradled his injured arm against him, shivering. He could feel his body going into shock at last. He felt so scared by now. He doubted if this demon would let him live long enough for Kulain to reach him. Thirst and hunger were also beginning to nag at him.

"Psst!". He looked around. "Psst!". A small figure jumped onto the chair, level with his head. A tiny demon, about the size of a small monkey, sitting staring at him with whirling green eyes.

"You belong to him? To Kulain?", a whispered question.

"Sure I do! Why the hell not?", Alex muttered miserably.

"The Dark Lords fight", the little creature squeaked. "Lord Nazath is very angry".

Alex laughed sarcastically.

"Well, I really do bleed for him!", he said , with a ghost of his old humour.

A conspiratorial grin settled over the small demon's face.

"If the Lord Kulain wins, you tell him I help you. 'S good to have great lords' favour".

Alex found himself remembering what Mulder had said. Demons loved deceit, which is why Kulain did so well in the F.B.I.

He shrugged. "Sure I will, if you can get me food and water". He pulled at the chain. "I don't suppose you can do anything about this?"

It shook its head. One link of the chain was as big as its head so it was probably asking too much of the little imp. It scampered off.

He heard a commotion in the distance, coming closer. Warily, he backed up as hard as he could into the corner. Nazath came in, enraged. A second demon, staggering, collapsed on the expensive Persian carpet. From the look of his body, this one had fought long and hard. His body had been viciously torn open in at least a dozen places.

Alex did his best to hide his grin. He had more sense now than to open his mouth.

//Kick his butt, Kulain//

Then he sensed golden eyes on him. A twitch of a talon and two smaller demons were on him, ripping and tearing at his clothes, shredding them from his body. Their mocking laughter made him feel so lost and vulnerable. Leaving him lying naked, shaking on the floor, his body shivering with more than the cold.

***

Chapter3

***

*Mulder and his partner Kulain were desperately trying to get to backwoods Oregon to rescue their partner and lover, Alex Krycek, when they had to thwart a demon attack. Kulain regarded this world as his, and he would kill any demon or human who tried to challenge him.*

The storm seemed to get worse, rather than better. There was a gale howling outside as their plane finally landed in Oregon, after long delays. Amazing what nonsense people chose to believe about a supernatural attack, especially if government agents were involved. National security and all that. It was just starting to snow when they arrived in the early morning at Alex's hotel.

As they got out of the car, Kulain sniffed the air.

"They're close". He could feel the ambient power tugging like sandpaper against his skin.

"There's too much power here for just one demon. Can you feel it?" And Mulder could feel a pressure in the air, like an incipient headache.

Then the prickle of energy flared. Light, like an aurora borealis flashed across the sky.

"Sheet lightning?", Mulder said.

"No!". Kulain's voice was grim. "A gate between our worlds!"

***

Alex drifted in an uneasy sleep.

*Kulain's fingers drifted in a sweet, soft caress down his back, drifted lower, rubbing between his thighs. He moaned. It had been so long. He felt himself becoming aroused. Leaning back against Kulain, he began to spread his legs for his lover, rubbing himself against that exploring hand as it began to slide into his yearning body.*

A sudden ear splitting screech.

Gasping, he came awake. With a roar of rage, Nazath slammed his hand at the small figure of an imp, just disappearing round the corner. And Alex realised exactly how close he'd come to letting that bastard, Nazath have him. Enraged, the demon lowered it's face to stare directly into the frightened human's eyes.

"You'll serve me sooner or later. I can make life more pleasant for you, little one. But if I have to wait until Kulain is dead, then you'll spread yourself wide for every demon here who wants you".

//Kulain! Where are you? Please. I can't stand much more of this.//

The demon lord strode off, scowling. Small sniggering noises came from behind a satin curtain. The imp popped it's head up near Alex.

"Not good for you to serve Nazath! I made him plenty mad. Now he's horny so he'll go away. Kill something!". More laughter. Then the little imp tossed him a rather stale loaf and a bottle of cola. An awful choice, but it tasted like ambrosia.

"Thanks. The thought of him touching me..." The imp, still chuckling, scampered off.

// I won't think about it. I'd die first!//

"Mulder! There's no way you could tackle a demon! You've faced one before. Remember?". Kulain shook his head.

He did remember, the first time he had seen Kulain. The awesome power surrounding him, the incredible personal magnetism that could weave its way under a human's skin so subtly that you wouldn't know you were captured until you bent over and spread your legs"

"You never did tell me how to kill a demon, Kulain". His eyes narrowed, but Mulder noticed the twinkle of humour in his eyes. Kulain was coming closer to humanity every day. Well some days, anyway.

"Have you got a sword then, Fox? Cold steel is a common and popular solution". Mulder looked at him, askance.

"It's not something I can fit in my trouser pocket easily!".

"Claws are better anyway", Kulain said smugly.

By midday, they were well on the way to the mountain. Mulder had refused to let his one remaining lover out of his sight, arguing that he would feel like dying anyway if he ended up alone. A momentary look of despair and anguish crossed his face, and almost unconsciously, his fists clenched, driving nails deep into palms. He refused to let Kulain out of his sight. While Kulain had distracted the local sheriff, Mulder had stolen a large machete from their crime museum.

"I'd better have this thing in my belt for a good reason. Do you know where you're going?".

A smile. "Oh yes. Gates affect the weather, so you just follow the storm".

Which was of course on the mountain. The going was quite tough as they slowly climbed upwards. The bad weather had trailed off a little for now, but the low clouds were threatening, and a light dusting of snow had made the climb more hazardous, as the rocks were glazed with ice.

Kulain seemed to be guided unerringly towards a spot high in the hills. Climbing over a ridge and down the other side, moving towards a darker area of the cliff face.

"This is it!", Mulder exclaimed, but stopped when Kulain raised a warning finger.

"There!". He pointed. "Leave your backpack here, you need to be able to move freely when we pass over". He did as he was told. Gripped the machete with both hands.

"Mulder, you haven't seen me in my true form for a long time. Can you take it, or are you going to freak out?". Mulder's look was fierce.

"You've never hurt me! And you know how I feel about Alex! Nothing's going to get in my way. Just get on with it".

He shifted. And in a way he was right. Mulder had forgotten how terrifying his presence was in that form, the magnetic sensuality that sent a wave of dark lust through his body. Familiar eyes watched him. He shivered, then reached out, laying his hand on the inhuman flesh.

"I've always known what you were, and I've always loved you! Lets kick ass!". He grinned fiercely into gleaming eyes, and they moved towards the Gate.

***

*The human cut a pathetic figure. He was covered with bruises and dozens of small cuts. The most obvious injuries were a spectacular hand sized bruise on his naked side and a similar one on his forehead. He huddled miserably against the demon lord's throne. Tracks of tears cut a trail through the dirt on his young face and he cradled his visibly damaged wrist carefully.*

The Lord Nazath stared at the huddled, unseeing human who was sunk in misery by his side. He felt an odd mixture of lust and rage. Not that young human men were particularly to his taste, but the idea of possessing something belonging to Kulain, taking it away from him was exciting. He reached out slowly with one hand and tilted up the young human's chin so he was staring into its fearful green eyes. He wore a wolflike smile.. The human shrank back, so he pulled it closer, using the chain round it's wrist. It feebly attempted to claw at him, using the pathetic claws on the arm Kulain had given it. He backhanded it casually, and lowered his lips to taste the blood running down from the human's cut lips. A wave of hot lust filled the demon. He began to force the young human's head towards his newly burgeoning erection.

//No. Please... Kulain... Help me...(whimper)//

A low subterranean rumble, echoing through the cavern. A noise like a thousand lost souls wailing in torment. Nazath jerked his head up. He shoved the human away, rose to his feet and howled a name in rage.

"Kulain!". And bellowed to his servants to prepare themselves for their enemies' arrival.

The little imp watched the demon lord storming in rage at his subordinates. While Nazath's attention was elsewhere the little demon crept close to the captured human. He was sobbing wretchedly, shrunk into the angle between the throne and the wall behind. Running along a ledge next to the human's head, it grabbed a lock of hair and tugged repeatedly. Alex lifted his head slowly. There was little defiance in the cowering eyes, only misery and dread.

"You felt the gate?. It hissed at him. The human nodded.

"What will Nazath do?". The imp shrugged, an oddly human gesture. "He'll challenge Kulain. He thinks he is strong enough to win".

"Is he?". Fear in that question. The imp frowned. "No way he'll beat Kulain unless he's very sly. Very deceitful. You are Kulain's weakness. He'll hurt you".

"Don't go! Bring me a weapon if you can, something sharp"

The little imp shook its head. "No use against the Lord Nazath! You can't even hold it properly". It stared at his wrists, one snapped and the other severely bruised by the metal cuff.

"It's not for that...". And a fresh tear ran down his cheek. The imp shook its head doubtfully and scuttled off into the darkness.

//If he tries to use me to hurt Kulain... If he tries to take me again... I'll kill myself... Oh Fox, I'm so sorry...//

Rainbow light shimmered in the middle of the rock wall. Instinctively, Mulder gripped Kulain's arm as they stepped through the shimmering curtain. A sense of dislocation wrenched at his stomach, a sensation of falling and moving forward at the same time. Then they were through. Kulain breathed the air in deeply, in the cavern where the gate exited. Felt the power of this place and the presence of its guardians on an almost instinctive level. Even as Mulder watched, he seemed to expand, his greenish skin was suddenly glittering as if being here enhanced him somehow. The eyes that looked around the cavern were suddenly black inky shadows that made him shiver in apprehension. He was unaware of the darkness that flared in his own eyes, in response to his lover.

The two demons stepped out in front of them. Both were as big as Kulain, and they immediately launched a simultaneous assault on Kulain, ripping and tearing with their claws and teeth. Mulder shrank back behind Kulain the instant they appeared, but both appeared to consider him no threat. Then movement caught his eye, and he saw a smaller demon clinging to the low roof, crawling towards them. With all his strength, he stabbed upwards with the machete, impaling the demon. And leapt back as a flood of ichor sprayed downwards, spattering across his parka. A single drop on his hand burned like acid. He quickly ripped off the jacket before it could eat through the fabric onto his skin. The steel blade he carried seemed unaffected. Kulain found it comparatively easy to deal with the two guards. Using talons and immense strength, he broke one over his knee and smashed the other to pulp with his fists.

Turning to Mulder, he gestured to his lover, and they moved quickly and quietly down the tunnel. Kulain held up a finger in warning, then flattened himself against the tunnel wall, as they came to a big cavern. He stared out into the dark cave, seeming not to be bothered by the darkness. His eyes seemed almost luminously green. As they went forward, through endless tunnels and caverns, Mulder became increasingly worried.

No sign of any other living thing, not even a demon.

"Where are they all?", he whispered.

Kulain's eyes narrowed. "There is a gathering place ahead. Nazath likes a show. He'll meet us there, I think".

Alex was seized roughly, before he even had time to react. Nazath, with huge strength, had simply yanked the chain out of its rock anchor. Now the young human was being dragged along cruelly. The pain of his already abused body, as he was driven towards the gathering place was agonizing. Finally he was tugged onto a platform about twenty feet above the ground, surrounded by over a thousand silent demons. Many were humanlike, but some resembled gargoyles, with huge, leathery wings folded close to their bodies. The spider demons he had encountered before were clinging to the walls. And there were at least a dozen different types, some terrifying. Nazath sank down onto a throne above all the other demons. Subtle visual effects were not his forte. He yanked Alex towards him. The human fought feebly against the inhuman strength. He was seized effortlessly and placed like a doll on the demon lord's lap. Immensely strong arms came round him, cruelly tight, in a vile mockery of Kulain's affection.

There was a stir at one side of the cavern, and Kulain stepped out from the side tunnel, with Mulder at his side. Alex felt his heart leap in a pathetic flicker of hope. They had come for him, risking everything. The demon crowd parted on either side of the two figures, making a corridor down which they approached. Many growled in menace.

Mulder shivered, some places weren't meant for humankind.

Kulain looked at Alex, no emotion showing on his face. Mulder gasped in shock. Alex was shivering, naked, on the lap of the biggest demon he had ever seen. His face was battered almost beyond recognition, and he had obviously been viciously mistreated. Nazath smiled.

"Well, Kulain, you came. I knew you would want your human servant back".

He smiled. "Shall I take him in front of you?". He began to rub himself against the whimpering human.

Kulain laughed. Both humans stared at him in shock.

"You made an error, Nazath. He's not my human servant, the key to my power". He snaked an arm around Mulder's waist. "This one is! The first one I bound to me! That is our law!

Mulder gaped in shock.

"Shall I prove it?'

And Mulder felt the burning heat of love and lust and a thousand different emotions boil out of him, linking him to his lover. And black fire crawled along his skin as the part of him that answered to Kulain reacted to his summons. Following the command to show its true nature. He was falling. The watchers saw the light abruptly withdraw, leaping to Kulain's outstretched hand, leaving the human lying dazed on the floor. It had seemed to take the very marrow of his bones with it when it vanished, he could barely move, for he felt so drained.

With a cry of rage, Nazath flung his human captive across the dais. Lunging for Kulain, the two of them instantly in a boiling tangle of limbs, ripping and tearing at each other, in a frenzy.

Mulder dizzily stood up, shaking his head to try and clear it, then he remembered his lover. He began to push his way through the crowd of demons, whose attention was all on the fight.

Bending down, he slid his arms around the injured man, raising his head gently. Green eyes watched him.

"Mulder?" Alex looked into familiar hazel eyes. Then clung to him, so pathetically weak. Mulder kissed the younger man on the top of his head, the rest of his face was so battered... He tried to lift Alex, but a desperate whimper made him stop.

"Bust a couple of ribs, at least", he whispered. Then, "It's so good to see you again... Mulder, if Kulain loses... kill me, please!".

Mulder's eyes filled with shock. Then comprehension showed in his face.

"Don't worry love. If we have to, we'll go together. Do you think I'd let you go anywhere ever again without me..." A tear ran down his cheek. They clung together, watching the fighting demons.

With a bellow of rage, Nazath arched his talons downward, almost too fast for the humans to see, aiming for Kulain's eyes. Their lover's arm punched upwards, through his opponent's chest, and a huge fireball of energy erupted around the two demons. The crowd of watchers surged forward.

Sudden dead silence.

Alex's hand caught Mulder's, pressing against him, trembling.

And Kulain walked through the crowd of demons, a satisfied look on his inhuman face. Mulder let out a slow sigh, then looked at the limp body he held. The moment he had seen Kulain, Alex had fainted, his overtaxed body finally shutting down

Kulain looked at the two huddled figures at his feet. He reached down and tenderly stroked Mulder's forehead. Then he gently touched Alex. A look of such sadness passed across his face. Black light shimmered along his arm, seeming to bathe the human in its radiance. Sinking into his skin. Soothing away his worst injuries, bones lengthening and straightening, whole once again. Though he still looked bruised, colour seemed to flood back into his white face. Mulder gasped in awe.

'That's not possible!", he whispered. Then his lover smiled.

"You'd be surprised at what I can do, Mulder".

Kulain lifted the limp young body and carried it to a small room nearby. He gently smoothed the hair away from his lover's forehead and kissed the still bruised skin. Then he carefully laid the human down on a pile of exotic furs.

"Mulder, I have some business to take care of. Stay here with him, you're safe here. I may be a long time, but I will come back for you." As if he was some business man dealing with a corporate take over!

Mulder nodded.

"Be careful. I need you back in one piece. Someone has to explain all this to Skinner!"

Left alone with his lover. Tenderly, he pulled one of the furs over that naked body, then slid, naked underneath it too. He nestled in close to Alex, slipping his arms round that familiar body. Alex, with a small questioning noise in his throat, stirred restlessly.

"Shhh, love. It's just me. I'll keep the demons away tonight", he murmured reassuringly. With a small sigh, his lover relaxed against him, burrowing into the familiar contours of his body. And slept properly for the first time since his abuse had begun.

Mulder had intended to stay awake, but the exhausting events of the past few days had taken their toll. He slid into a deep dreamless sleep. And awoke suddenly, as some wrongness intruded on his consciousness. Alex was in the throes of a nightmare. Struggling blindly, incoherently, to escape some traumatic night terror,

"No, Alex. It's alright. ". Shaking the young human until he came awake in a long, shuddering gasp. For a moment he looked desperately lost and alone, then Mulder was holding him tight, whispering his name over and over again. Alex clung to him, like a drowning man, and began to cry in wretched anguish, his heaving sobs wrenching at his whole body. Mulder just held him as the young mans' grief went on and on. He began to soothe Alex, stroking his hair, giving him small kisses, murmuring sweet nonsense. Gradually some part of his loving embrace seemed to comfort the terror and misery, and Alex's body began to slowly relax.

He lifted up his head, and stared into his lover's eyes, drinking in the sight of the man he thought he would never see again. The man who'd been prepared to die for him. And kissed him with all the strength in his bruised body. Mulder's fingers tightened in Alex's hair, returning the kiss just as fiercely. Then with surprising strength, Alex pushed Mulder back onto the luxuriant furs that lined the makeshift bed, rolling on top of him, enjoying the voluptuous sensation of fur sliding across bare skin, and leaned down to capture that mouth in another honeyed kiss.

Alex felt his body begin to react to Mulder, his cock, beginning to stir. It seemed like forever since they had lain together, their bodies entwined. A wave of need filled him and he began to rub his body against Mulder's. His lover's body began to react to him just as hungrily, then they were devouring each others bodies with ravenous kisses. Sex and death, as always an aphrodisiac.

Alex slid under the furs, letting his kisses run the length of his lover's body, then moving upwards again to find Mulder's upraised cock. He let his tongue run the length of it, licking and sucking at the balls beneath. Mulder arched upwards in abandon, then a gasping cry burst out of him as Alex swallowed the full length of it. The hot tight moistness was bringing him to the edge. Alex's hand at the base of his shaft as he drew back. Not letting him lose himself yet.

"I want to look into your eyes when I'm inside you..", a gasped plea.

Mulder lifted his legs, positioning himself for his lover's entrance. Alex needed so much to be in control this time, after such helplessness. Alex's fingers slipping inside him rubbing and stroking. Heat flaring inside him, he felt as though he were white hot.

//Memory of Kulain touching him. Fire surging across his skin as the demon's power had spilled through him. Love. Lust. The essence of life//

//The love between him and Alex, just as strong, but different, more equal//

Alex lubricating himself, then sliding inside him. Such tight closeness. //Fox, so close to you. So intimate//

Moving their bodies together, in increasingly passionate friction, Long downward strokes meeting urgent upward thrusts. Slow at first, becoming harder and faster. Fingers gripping each other in a death like grip.

//NEVER APART//NEVER AGAIN//I LOVE YOU// AND I LOVE YOU//

They reached a peak together.

Wild crescendo. Orchestra playing crashing music. Waves on the shore. Explosion of light, sound, emotion. The wildest, longest and most explosive orgasm each had ever known. For a moment, it was as if black fire wrapped them in its' embrace, though neither was in a position to notice.

Slowing heartbeats, soothing kisses, warmth of two bodies entwined.

Alex rested his head on Mulder's chest, dreamily enjoying the feel of arms around him. Mulder lightly kissed his forehead again. A sound of footsteps in the tunnel outside made both men suddenly tense up. Alex gasped, and for a moment, a shadow of terror crossed his face. The sounds came closer, and Kulain entered the small room. He smiled down at his two young humans. And all the tension between Kulain and his wayward lover vanished. Then his arms were full of a naked Alex and a moment later they were in a devastating three way embrace that went on and on for an eternity.

"Would you like to see what it's all about?". With a mysterious smile, Kulain gestured to them. Mulder grabbed at his clothes, but Alex just grabbed at a large golden furred pelt and unconsciously sensual, wrapped it around himself. Kulain led the way through a maze of caverns. Into a cavern vaster than anything either human had ever seen.

"This is definitely not Kansas Mulder!". His partner grimaced, but he couldn't refute the statement. The cavern was so vast that somewhere far above, clouds were gathering. From the viewpoint they were standing on, they couldn't even see the far edge of the cavern so it must be at least fifty miles away. The distant depths were hidden by a blue haze. It was as bright as daylight, from the strangest source of illumination either men had ever seen. It was a vast spinning geometric shape in the centre of the cavern, that seemed to change even as they watched it. The light from the glowing shape was impossibly, black! Or at least that's how human minds perceived it. The shape had to be at least half the size of the cavern around it. Smaller lights seemed to spin around the shape, millions of them, of all colours, some defying description. It was an awesome and terrifying sight.

"The Sith!". Kulain's voice was soft. "The source of all the gates in the universe. Placed here so that it would be guarded from all interference by the demons". His eyes seemed to glow, and for a moment, seemed to more than reflect that strange light. "No human has ever looked on it before". He began to walk down into the cavern, and gestured for the two to follow. Mulder swallowed. He trusted Kulain, but this!

As they walked onto the floor of the cavern, a humming noise seemed to resonate through their bones. Alex gasped and shook his head. Kulain stopped. He reached out his hand and black light seemed to spill down over it. Something forming in the palm of his hand, a tiny spinning geometric shape, curiously similar to its giant brother. It split itself, almost organically, into two and Kulain reached out to his humans. Touched each shape to the tiny gold earring each wore as a symbol of their partnership. A flash of *darkness* that seemed to travel through skin and bone.

Nothingness.

Alex raised his head sleepily. He was lying entwined on the bed in Mulder's apartment, with a very naked, sleeping lover. Hadn't he been doing something with Kulain? He shook his head. Somehow he had been walking in the wilds of Oregon, looking for...? And now he was here, with no clear memory of how he got home. The only image that he could come up with, no matter how much he wracked his brains was..Dorothy in Kansas?

Mulder stirred, blinked and opened his eyes. Alex was sitting on the edge of the bed, shaking his head. Mulder felt vaguely uneasy. He couldn't seem to remember Alex getting home, though somewhere inside him he could remember lying on...? Furs...? While Alex looked into his eyes lovingly. He looked at the clock. And blinked.

"Alex, what have we been doing for the past three days?". And his puzzled partner could only shake his head in bewilderment. Then the younger man reached out and touched the small black polygonal crystal that dangled on Mulder's earring. And realised he had one to match.

"I think we must have been buying jewellery, Mulder", he said wonderingly.

*Kulain quietly watched his two humans discussing their memory loss in bafflement. He could have told them, but some secrets are not meant for human minds. And besides, the deep traumas both , especially Alex, had felt were so painful it was better that they be allowed to forget. He wondered what effect his small gift would have on their lives. It wasn't every day that the Sith chose two guardians. Perhaps in a few years, when it became apparent that neither was ageing, he would tell them the truth.

*Well, some of it.*

 

* * *

 

Dark Angel's Fire III - Darkness in the Blood  
by Megaera

October 1998  
Feedback to FEEDBACK is life  
NC-17  
SPOILERS None,  
DISCLAIMER I don't own any character from the X-Files, I'm only borrowing them for my own entertainment and hopefully, other peoples. No copyright infringement is intended. However the character Kulain the Demonlord is entirely mine. Hope the Sumerian is reasonably accurate, ergative languages are a real bitch.

* * *

Dark Angel's Fire III  
Darkness in the Blood  
by Megaera

********

*Light clashed with darkness, as had happened many times before, in that far away place. But this time was different. For a moment, there was stillness, then the fabric of space and time ruptured. Intolerable pressures pushed the darkness outwards, warping all that was around it. Then her soft laughter began.*

********

"Hey! It's the spook squad!" Spender was being his usual charming self. The two agents winced. Mulder was used to the name "spooky, but lately someone - no prizes for guessing who - had been tagging the name onto the Occult Investigation Department of which Mulder was head. There had been rivalry between them since Spender had taken the X files away from Mulder. Scully generally worked for Spender now, and there were rumours that made Mulder wonder how close the two actually were. The Ice Queen and the Slimeball!

Alex snorted in contempt. "Asshole!" he muttered in scorn, under his breath.

Mulder grabbed a couple of cups of the, as usual, vile coffee and snuck himself a couple of chocolate bars, which Alex would probably steal anyway, if he saw them. Despite his earlier annoyance, a smile twitched at his face. Alex loved chocolate.

Green eyes regarded him in amusement.

"Mulder, is that a chocolate bar in your pocket, or are you just pleased to see me?"

//Wouldn't you like to know, Ratboy//

As he sipped his coffee, he remembered the latest file they had been given. This was a new twist. A haunted house! The Wilson Mansion, on an isolated island in the Florida Keys, to be exact. The house had always had a bad reputation, but lately the reports of strange phenomena had escalated off the scale. Which is why a unit from the Miskatonic University had gone there to study the parapsychology of the site. Then a young researcher, an English girl who just happened to have a very influential newspaper magnate for a father, had disappeared. The F.B.I. had been called in to investigate within twenty four hours.

Alex, as usual, didn't think much of the authorities in their organisation who had assigned both teams to the case. "Bunch of goddamned idiots", he said irritably. "My temper will never last if I've got to work with Spender."

"Yes, well Alex, we're all booked on tonight's shuttle flight so you'll have to get used to the idea." Green eyes glared at him. Idly he wondered if Scully had as much trouble keeping her partner out of trouble. Spender certainly seemed irritated about something. Mulder could see him on the other side of the refreshment area, arguing with her. Still, making up after an argument was one way to deflect all of Alex's passion in a totally different direction!

They had to get a hire car when they came out of the airport, to make the two hour drive to the mansion. It was already dark and a long day at work had done nothing to resolve the tension between the two groups of agents. Before the enmity between the two younger agents could flare into life, Mulder quickly asked Scully to drive. He jerked his thumb at the back seat. Alex pursed his lips, but reluctantly slid his long legs into the back seat of the car.

The drive seemed endless, along miles of causeway. As time passed, the motion of the car began to have an effect on the agents. Spender drowsed, his mouth open, in the front seat. And Alex slowly slipped sideways until his head was resting in sleep against Mulder's shoulder.

He caught sight of Scully's eyes in the mirror watching him. He quirked an eyebrow at her.

"I had heard gossip Mulder", she said dryly. He gave a twisted smile. She knew him well enough to understand what Alex's small intimacy meant.

"You always did have odd taste, Mulder." He shrugged.

"Some things you can't control, Scully. This is one of them."

Alex made a small questioning sound in his throat and snuggled closer. Mulder felt oddly protective, then slipped his arm, oh so casually, around his lover, shifting to make him more comfortable. The younger man murmured something softly, then, "Mmmm, Foxy!" Scully looked immensely amused.

"Foxy!" He groaned. That would be hard to live down.

Alex jerked guiltily awake as the car drew to a halt. He lifted his head groggily and looked at the house that was their destination.

"Mulder, do you remember that old film where Bob Hope went to a haunted house in an alligator infested swamp?"

He had a point. The house must have been two hundred years old, a mixture of wood and stone. That it had survived countless years in the hurricane belt said volumes for its solid construction. Parts of it were hung with vines and overgrown with vegetation. It was three stories high, and looked like the sort of place with endless dusty attics and cellars. The grounds that surrounded it had once been well kept, but were now wildly overgrown. Over everything, there was a sinister air of melancholy decay. Of mould and graves and things long dead that were better kept out of the light.

Mulder felt he was getting quite maudlin.

The door to the mansion opened and a middle aged woman wearing glasses emerged.

"So you're the F.B.I. agents we've been waiting for! Follow me. I'll take you to Professor Johnson."

She led the way into the hallway. It was a masterpiece of baroque style, in Italian marble, though a bit sepulchural. She led them into a room that was a combination study and library, where a nervous looking group of people were waiting. The professor was a distinguished looking man in his fifties who came forward to greet them. There was something rather endearing about his absent minded manner and the fact that his glasses were held together by a piece of duct tape. Beside the blazing fire at one end of the room were several students sitting on a dusty looking couch. They all looked subdued.

The professor introduced the group.

"This is Andy, he's our physicist from Caltech. And this is Pete our psychologist. These two lovely young ladies are our researchers Dee and Sara. You've already met my assistant, Marie."

The older woman smiled shyly at them.

The facts of the case were quickly established. Two nights ago, the missing woman had disappeared from an area of the attics. Because of the extensive monitoring equipment in place, the parapsychologists knew that she could not have left the building unseen. But she was gone! An extensive search for the girl had turned up nothing.

"I've made you up rooms, in the modernised part of the house. They're just about habitable. Most of this place is suffering from damp so I'm afraid two of you will have to share."

Mulder caught the look of disgust on Spender's face.

"It's O.K. Agent Krycek and I don't mind sharing." Scully raised an eyebrow.

"Are you going to interview us now? Or will the morning be soon enough? It's getting a little late!" The professor looked a little stressed.

Spender shrugged. "We would be better off if we made a fresh start tomorrow. We can't search outside in the dark."

Marie led the agents to their rooms.

"Agent Scully, I've given you Carla's room, poor thing. She wouldn't mind. Agent Spender, you can have this little room next door. And as for you Agent Krycek", she simpered, "You and er, this other agent can have the Red Room."

The door shut behind Mulder and Krycek. Mulder laughed.

"You've got her eating out of your hand, Alex."

The younger agent grimaced in distaste. "I've wanted to do this all day", he said and grabbed his lover's shoulders, pushing him hard up against the wall. Then he kissed Mulder who arched into the embrace. Alex slid his knee up between Mulder's thighs, rubbing against the more sensitive areas with delicious friction. He laughed at the effect he was having, and pushed Mulder back with all his strength towards the bed. The backs of Mulder's legs began to press up against the side of the bed, and he fell backwards, Alex landing on top of him with a gasp. Then like a snake, Alex slid smoothly down Mulder's body and grabbed at the fastenings of his clothes urgently. The two of them, between kisses began to undress, flinging their clothes onto the floor. Mulder managed to take off his shoes and socks and then his pants. Then his young lover, already naked, began to fumble with the buttons on his shirt, exposing his smooth chest. Alex kissed and sucked at the small nipples until they were rosily erect. Then his lips slid much lower, to Mulder's already rock hard cock. To his lover's delighted surprise, he completely took Mulder's cock into his mouth and began to deep throat him. Mulder cried out, his hands flailing, catching at Alex's shoulders, as Alex slowly drove him out of his mind.

There was a knock at the door.

"Mulder, it's Scully, I need to talk to you urgently."

There was a strangled noise below him. A desperate Mulder glanced down. Alex was trying his hardest not to laugh, and finally, pulled away from him; he fell onto the bed and howled with laughter.

It was hard to speak normally with such a raging hardon. Gasping, Mulder shouted, "Hang on Scully. Just a minute."

Alex was still helplessly giggling on the bed.

Hastily, Mulder pulled up his pants.

"You're no help", he hissed at his lover. He walked uncomfortably to the door, bringing a fresh burst of hilarity from the bed. He pulled out his shirt and let it hang outside his trousers to hide his discomfort.

Scully walked in when he opened the door.

"Sorry to disturb you Mulder, but I found this in the girl's room."

She held out a hand-written note that she had placed in an evidence bag. Then she stopped, disconcerted. She realised how embarrassed and flustered Mulder looked. And Alex was half reclining on the bed, naked apart from a sheet covering his lower body. He was sniggering and even as she looked at him, he exploded with laughter again.

"Er, you caught me at a bad moment", Mulder said shamefacedly. That provoked more hilarity in the background. Alex leaned back against the bedhead, stretching out his lithe body sensuously, sliding his hands behind his neck and displaying his beautiful muscles. His body was perfect, apart from a small band of scar tissue around his upper left arm. Scully swallowed, she hadn't realised how athletic he was, like a Greek statue, but with animal magnetism.

The note, when Mulder examined it, was for the missing girl.

"Shut up a minute, Alex. This is serious. She had a meeting with someone who sounds like her lover!"

Green eyes narrowed. "We ought to search this place more thoroughly than the local police", Alex said, "there may be more evidence."

"Good idea", Scully said , "You two can do it tomorrow, we'll interview the suspects." Alex groaned.

"Goodnight", she said and turned to leave. Mulder sighed and sank down onto the bed. Alex instantly pounced. He pulled Mulder down onto the bed, and straddled his lover's torso, leaning over to hungrily kiss him. His hands pulled urgently at Mulder's clothes, and the agent's trousers went flying across the room. Then he leaned down and began to finish what he had started. Mulder moaned, pushing Alex's head down further onto his cock, and the younger man began to show him exactly how talented he was. After long, delectable minutes of torment, Alex pulled back, his own breathing ragged, fully aroused himself. He slid his fingers down to his own ass and began to prepare himself for Mulder. Then he lowered himself onto Mulder's large erection, crying out as he felt its white heat slide into him. Mulder was moaning softly, his body arching upwards. His eyes opened and he saw the enticing sight of Alex, his head thrown back in rapture as he moved his body in slow torturous motion. Then the younger man's control began to desert him and his movements became as frantic as Mulder's own.

Scully remembered, a few minutes later, that she hadn't given Mulder the news about the hurricane warning that had just been issued. She returned to Mulder's door, opened it unthinkingly, and gasped. What Alex was doing to Mulder was definitely not in a standard medical textbook. And Mulder. She had never seen him out of control like that before, writhing in passion under his lover's touch. The way Alex was doing THAT to him. She realised that they were beautiful together, as their two strong muscular bodies moved together. When had Mulder become so fit, his body almost as lithe and impressive as his lover's?

Mulder flung out his hands, and Alex caught at them, fingers lacing with his. Then Alex arched voluptuously in orgasm, muscles clenching around Mulder so that he too lost control, screaming his lover's name as he came. Alex slid down into his arms, lying on top of him, his breathing gradually steadying in the aftermath of vigorous exercise. "I love you, Fox", he murmured, and Mulder tightened his arms around the younger man. Alex grinned and slid his fingers down to begin the second round.

Neither of the lovers noticed anything except each other for a long, long time.

*********

Pete, the psychologist, grinned at his women co-workers. "Here come those two F.B.I. agents The ones that look like models for Calvin Klein!"

Dee laughed. "Be still my beating heart! Maybe we should take bets. Which one of us is going to score first. Me, Sara or poor old Marie. Did you see the way she looked at the younger one!" They sniggered.

Andy laughed too, but for a different reason.

"You're wrong. All of you. I've got more chance than any of you. Look at that." Mulder was bringing Alex a coffee, and as he leaned to pass it to him, his hand lingered in a caress against his lover's shoulder. Andy laughed again, jingling the earring he wore.

"Sorry guys, takes one to know one."

"You mean they're gay!", Dee gasped melodramatically. "Damn! Another fantasy bites the dust!"

"For you maybe", the physicist said, "but to me, they're hot!"

Sara burst out laughing. "Marie is going to be so disappointed!"

Scully found it difficult to concentrate on work when she saw Mulder and Krycek that morning. It was hard to forget the sight of them writhing on the bed. The four agents began to plan their actions that morning, Alex and Mulder would begin to search the attics. She and Spender would establish where everyone was when Carla disappeared.

Alex decided that searching this goddamned house was going to take forever. Mulder had just persuaded him to buy several expensive suits for work, and he could already count all of the filthy places he was going to have to squeeze into, wearing one. Scully had to laugh when she saw the expression on his face. She had noticed the suit.

The two agents headed for the stairs, through the Italian hall, Mulder a couple of steps in front of Alex. The younger man would never know what instinct prompted him to look up at that moment, but when he did, he saw the old chandelier far above him beginning a slow downward fall. He moved, instinct and an overpowering need taking over, lunging forward. He collided with Mulder from behind, grabbing him, pushing him forward with all his strength, even as the huge light fell towards his lover.

White hot agony sliced down Alex's left arm and shoulder, even as his momentum carried them both out of it's path. He landed with a bruising impact on the cold marble, body covering his lover protectively. Mulder let out a great whoosh of air as he hit the floor. The chandelier exploded as it hit the floor, showering both men with shards of glass.

Scully and Spender came running into the hall.

"Oh, my god! Are you alright, Mulder? Alex?"

Alex dragged himself upright, and Mulder, dazed, lurched to his feet.

"Upstairs, Scully", he gasped, and she and Spender ran up the stairs, two at a time, guns drawn. Mulder brushed the pieces of glass away as best he could, and turned to his partner. He managed to catch the white faced agent as he swayed dizzily, and supporting him, they made it into the study together.

"Sit down, Alex", Mulder said. The left sleeve of Alex's new suit was shredded and bright blood blossomed on his shirt beneath it. Mulder gently eased the jacket off and reached gently forward to unbutton his lover's shirt. Alex just sat, shivering with pain and shock. Mulder carefully drew off the torn and bloodied rag that was Alex's sleeve.

Deep lacerations from metal and glass had sliced into his shoulder for almost six inches, down to his arm graft, below that the inhuman flesh was mottled in bright green bruises. The stronger demon skin had resisted the sharp materials more successfully.

He heard a strangled gasp behind him. Scully was staring at Alex's arm in disbelief. Then her medical training took over, and she gently bent over the wounds.

"Get my medical bag, Mulder, it's on the table", she said, pushing Mulder towards it. She carefully cleansed and dressed the injury. And stared at Alex's lower arm.

"Mulder, you want to tell me what's going on here?", she said softly.

"Not now. Please. Just bandage it up before anyone else comes in. We can talk later." She sighed.

"Alright, Mulder. But it had better be good!"

Alex lifted his head

"Mulder? Are you alright?" His voice was hoarse. Instead of answering, the older man sat next to Alex and slid his arms around him reassuringly, not caring anymore what people thought. Alex clutched at him for long minutes in shock. Then finally he drew back, colour flooding back into his face. They had an audience of most of the research team.

It was Andy who spoke. "How are you? Are you alright? We couldn't believe it when we heard the thing crash on the floor!" The other students looked afraid, but Mulder didn't miss the look of distaste for him that Marie gave, as she looked at him.

*Kulain felt the sudden explosion of pain in the distant body of one of his humans. Alex! The thought of harm coming to that beautiful young body was both annoying and perturbing. He would not allow it! He reached down into the core of his being, summoned the darkness that lay within, and //twisted// the fabric of reality. And a doorway came into being where none had existed before. He stepped through it, and reality snapped back into place behind him.*

"I'm O.K. Mulder, really. It was just shock." Alex looked slightly embarrassed by his display of weakness. Mulder wasn't fooled. Alex had to be in considerable pain, and his emotional state was precarious.

'We couldn't find anyone upstairs. And I don't know how they could have cut the chain of that light. Not without being seen." Spender shrugged in bemusement.

The four agents were closeted in the study, in private conference. Their investigations had turned up nothing so far, and all of them were beginning to react to the nerve jangling aspect of the place.

"I'm still inclined to a supernatural explanation", Mulder said. Scully shook her head.

"Mulder, there's no evidence for that. As you well know."

A blast of wind suddenly rattled the windows, making them all jump. Spender walked to the window and looked out.

"The weather's looking bad, Scully. I think you were right about that hurricane coming this way!"

It seemed to be rushing in on them, in fact, with incredible speed. A wall of darkness, filled with rain and howling wind.

"Mulder", Scully said softly, "I think we're in trouble. Someone round here doesn't care if they kill an F.B.I. agent. You can't tell me that's sane"

The professor's voice suddenly could be heard, shouting through the door, interrupting her.

"We have to get the storm shutters closed before the weather hits!" So the discussion was temporarily shelved.

Less than an hour later, they were in the midst of the worst hurricane to hit that part of Florida for over one hundred years.

*******

*Darkness swirled around him, comforting and safe. So familiar in its' chaos. Like the fierce surge of emotions that came with the Hunt, and the fierce wash of blood that followed. For a moment, he savoured the //taste// of that chaos, then forced down the lust it woke in him. And he //emerged// into the heart of the storm.*

A flash of lightning, incredibly brilliant, seemed to illuminate the study where most of them were gathered, that evening. Mulder winced, blinked his eyes to clear them of the afterimage. Seconds later, an unbelievably vast crash of thunder made the two younger women scream in terror. Andy flinched.

"This is some monster storm", he muttered.

The sudden thumping on the front door startled them all. Mulder and Scully cautiously approached the door. While she covered him, Mulder pulled open the massive bolts and dragged the large door open a crack. A blast of rain hit him, momentarily driving his breath away.

"Mulder!" A voice shouted. Then he was flinging the door open, throwing his arms around the figure that stood there, wet and dripping. Not really caring about what Scully thought. Kissing Kulain with all his strength, and feeling the reassurance that those strong arms had always brought to him.

Scully stared. Then with a resigned sigh, shouldered the door shut.

"Agent Lane, how did you get in on this three ringed circus?"

Kulain lifted his head, green eyes looking at her in amusement. And she gasped then, as he showed her a little of what he was. Momentarily, cat like pupils gleamed with cold fire.

"Alex needs me", he said gently, and gestured to Mulder to take him into the study.

The little group of people were all staring apprehensively at the door, when Mulder led Kulain into the study. Mulder grinned. "This is Agent Lane, one of my colleagues."

The Professor blinked. "Dear me, you must have had trouble travelling in this weather!" Kulain laughed.

"Not a lot", he said quietly.

"Wow!", Dee whispered to her friends, "Do they make all F.B.I. agents take a screen test or something? He's even more handsome than the last ones!"

Alex jerked up from the couch, where he had been miserably huddled, his face showing discomfort, now that Scully's pain medication was beginning to wear off.

"Kulain!" The students saw the incandescent look of adoration on the agent's upturned' face, when he looked at Kulain. And in a few strides, Kulain reached Alex, who buried his head in his lovers' chest, as strong arms went around him.

"Folks?", Pete said, "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

"Yeah!", Sara said. "Three of them! I bet they have fireworks in the moral headquarters of the nation!" Then softly, "But how did he know about the accident so quickly?"

Mulder was grinning unconsciously at his partners when Scully came in. She reached out to touch his shoulder. "It's past time for that talk, Mulder." He stepped out with her into the hall.

"What do you want me to say Scully? That my partner isn't human? You know that already. "

"He's more than that to you Mulder!"

"I know Scully", he whispered, "but love's blind!" A look of sadness crossed his face. "I tried to tell you more than once. I guess I knew that you wouldn't approve. But if it came to a choice between my career and my partners, the Bureau would lose, every time."

She stared into his face, and must have seen something of his feelings there. A small hand gripped his for a moment. "Do you trust him, Mulder?" And he answered her with a brilliant smile.

As the storm continued to rage, the tension in the little group seemed to be increasing. Kulain sat on the couch, Alex drowsing against him on one side, and Mulder reclining lazily on the other. Spender plainly was disgusted by them, and kept muttering to himself irritably. Scully was a little shellshocked, and kept giving Kulain sidelong glances when she thought no one was looking; that apparently amused him. The younger members of the research team seemed more than a little daunted by the fury of the storm outside.

"Kulain!" The Professor mumbled, "I know that name!" He pursed his lips in thought, then a happy smile crossed his face. "Ah, yes!", he said, "The Enuma Elish! The creation epic of the Babylonians. One of the fifty names of the warrior god of the Underworld, Marduk, if I'm not mistaken. Tell me, were your parents Near Eastern scholars?"

A half amused smile. "I've studied its' culture, Professor."

There was another brilliant flash of lightning, and all of the lights went out. There was sufficient light from the fire to dimly light the room, and with a resigned sigh, the students began to light hurricane lamps, having long experience of the irregularities of electricity supply in this part of the world. It did seem, however, that the fury of the storm was diminishing slightly.

Mulder leaned back in the darkness against Kulain, luxuriating in the feel of the powerful body against his. Long fingers slid up his spine in a caress.

"Warrior god?", he whispered in amusement, as he rested his head against Kulain's shoulder.

He felt the featherlight graze of lips brushing the back of his neck.

"A small deception, *teb shakushu*. We all have our small secrets!" Kulain turned then, to look at the drowsing Alex. Green eyes lifted to his in a trusting gaze.

The three of them slipped out of the room, Mulder leading the way upstairs, carrying a flickering candle. When they got to their bedroom, Kulain sat Alex on the bed, and gently unbuttoned his shirt. He loosened the bandage, and began to trace his finger up the gash. Mulder's breath hissed as he saw the skin impossibly healing. And the shimmering //blackness// leaving Kulain's hand, entering Alex. The younger man lifted his head and the darkness seemed to fill his eyes. They seemed to shimmer and change, like captured starlight, even as Mulder watched, pupils narrowing to impossible slits. Mulder moaned with a mixture of fear and arousal as Alex's demon eyes looked at him challengingly. Then both of his lovers were running their fingers across his body, trailing that fire across his skin. He wanted it. Feared it.

Then it entered him, and he was lost in the glory of three minds joined together as one. He didn't even remember taking his clothes off, but he remembered the heat of penetration, the fire of taking his lover. Not even sure of who was on top and who was beneath. Just an erotic darkness filled with sliding bodies, searching lips and clever, responsive fingers. Minds linked in blistering fusion, experiencing penetration and penetrating, controlling and compliant, fire and ice. Brought to a place far beyond orgasm, beyond consciousness, beyond even humanity. And the black fire sliding through nerves, muscles and tendons, weaving its way through his brain, long after his?.. Their?.. bodies had peaked. And at the centre of it all, Kulain.

Coming out of it was like being born. The sudden despair and pain of separation after the bliss of togetherness. Mulder sobbed into Kulain's strong shoulder, feeling Alex clinging to him, shaking. For a long time he could only try to gather his shredded thoughts together.

"What have you done to us?", Mulder said hoarsely.

In answer, Kulain drew Mulder towards the brass framed mirror on the wall, and showed him. For a moment, his face seemed unchanged, then Mulder saw his own slitted pupils, set in hazel eyes, shadowed by those of Alex who had come to stand at his shoulder.

//What do we do now, Ratboy?//

//Dark glasses would look good, Foxy!//

It was at that moment that the witch decided to strike.

************

Chapter 2

**************

He didn't feel any different. He could see the changes in his face, but Fox Mulder felt as confused, tired and irritable as ever.

Alex was engaged in the rather bizarre activity of trying on sunglasses by candlelight

"Fuck it! Oh shit!"

The inevitable had happened, Mulder's lover had tripped over something lying on the floor and had ended up on his delicious butt, on the floor.

"You can't go downstairs like that Alex!" Mulder gestured at the sunglasses. "If you make it down the stairs, they'll probably have you committed by the time you reach the study.

"So what do you suggest Mulder?"

"No one will notice in the dark anyway, not if you keep your distance. Wear the glasses tomorrow. Then when we get back to civilisation, we can get some contact lenses."

//I'd just love to hear what you tell the optician, Foxy//

Alex sighed, slid his arms around Mulder and leaned into his body. "What Kulain did to us. I've never felt anything remotely like it before'. I guess it was worth it. But I'm glad that he's gone off somewhere. I'm not feeling very grateful at the moment."

There was a sudden hammering at the door. "Mulder. Let me in!" Scully's voice sounded panicked. Mulder hesitated for a moment, staring into his lover's eyes, then reluctantly went to open the door. Alex turned away, not looking at Scully as she came in.

"Mulder. Thank god you're here. All hell is breaking loose downstairs. Just after you went off," a sidelong glance at Alex, "the electronic sensors all over the house lit up like a Christmas tree. Lucky they're worked off their own generator. The Professor thinks we might be in for a supernatural visitation. I knew you wouldn't want to miss it."

Alex shook his head in exasperation, curiously in sympathy with Scully. Mulder had a positive obsession with unusual phenomena. As if he didn't have enough in his personal life. Abandoning the sunglasses as a hopeless case, Alex walked towards the door, laid his hand on the handle.

"Let's get it over with Mulder, you can't stay in my bedroom forever." A blush covered Mulder's cheeks very satisfyingly.

The younger man tensed then, something was wrong, something in the instinctive corner of his mind, that froze his arm, so that he couldn't open the door. Ice along his veins. A hauntingly familiar chill, a well known slide of evil down his spine.

"Mulder!" a voice low and urgent. "I feel a Hunter!"

Momentary incomprehension showed in Mulder's eyes. Then he remembered the encounter Alex had months ago with Tiamat's servant. Then it was as if the candle wasn't enough to light the room. Darkness seemed to press down on them. A ghastly slithering sound as something huge and moist moved beyond the door. They all heard it. The fumbling sounds as things that weren't hands fumbled at the handle to which Alex clung in terror. Scully's head had jerked up at the first sound. She opened her mouth to ask Mulder what the hell a Hunter was, and he jammed his hand hard over her mouth. The three of them stood immobile for an eternity, while that quiet, terrible noise continued outside. Then it began to move on down the corridor. Alex let out a soft breath he hadn't known he was holding. Then down the hall, they heard Pete's voice.

"What the'.?" Then he screamed, his voice went on and on in high terrible shrieks. Scully tried to lunge forward, to get to the door, and both of them grabbed for her, held her back. She buried her face in Alex's shoulder and Mulder wrapped his arms around the two of them, shaking. Eventually the sounds trailed off, the presence moving away, making a sickening crunching noise that faded into the distance.

"What was it?" Scully sounded faint.

"A Hunter." Alex drew back from her and she realised he was shaking. Mulder was pale, but he determinedly reached out his hand, and tugged the door open. He slowly moved outside, gaped at what lay outside, turned away and fell to his knees, vomiting helplessly on the carpet. Alex moved forward to look, less shocked.

"Look if you want to Scully. But don't spend the night alone afterwards." A cynical sigh.

"Welcome to our world, Scully."

Mulder pulled himself together, gestured for Alex and Scully to follow him and edged past the dismembered remains. She made herself look, and decided that Spender could probably use a few pointers on gun techniques later in the night. Well that was as good an excuse as any.

*Standing on the foreshore, Kulain felt the sudden increase in the ferocity of the storm, as it whirled around him. The cold clean feel of nature's ferocity always exhilarated and refreshed him. He particularly needed the new energy after his extremely enthusiastic bout of sex games with his human partners. He frowned. The patterns in the chaos around him were changing, as another source of power stirred their currents.*

Running downstairs ahead of his colleagues, Mulder ran into the aftermath of the Hunter's wrath. Many of the expensive pieces of electronic equipment were twisted into piles of wreckage, and a hysterical sobbing could be heard from behind the study door.

"It's Mulder. Let me in!"

"No! It'll get us!" A terrified female voice.

"It's gone." And Mulder instinctively knew that it had. The door was unbolted, and Sara, eyes streaked with tears and mascara, stared at him pathetically.

"Who's here?" Mulder demanded.

The Professor stepped forward, shaken, Spender white faced at his side. "All of the research team except Pete, Agent Mulder."

"He's dead. Upstairs!" The two younger women began to cry hysterically.

"Alex!" The young man turned at the sound of Scully's voice. "You knew what it was. How?"

"One chased me, a while back. They're quite fast on open ground." He sounded so matter of fact about it, she grabbed his shoulder and pulled him round to face her. Then she received her third big shock of the evening. His eyes were so much like Kulain's. Not human though. He gave a crooked grin at her shock. "Mulder and I are considering a career change, Scully. That or a pair of Ray banns."

The remaining humans in the house all gathered in the old study. The Professor, muttering, had no thought except for his recording instruments. Spender, though shocked, seemed to be holding up well. It took most of Mulder and Scully's patience to calm the remaining students. The Professor mumbled something, then abruptly said, "Ah yes. Now I have it." He turned the monitor so they could all see. A video camera in the upper corridor had caught the appearance of the monster. A boiling of air, a sudden dark slit slicing the air in two, then the creature emerged.

"What an extraordinary range of gravity readings my instruments show", the Professor said softly, ignoring the screen as the camera caught the passage of something obscene.

Alex nodded. "Yeah", he said quietly to Mulder, "That's the same type as before. You think Tia is in on this? It's her sort of show."

Mulder rubbed his arm thoughtfully. "I think we need Kulain!"

**********

*His theories had been confirmed then. Twentieth century Earth was becoming a nexus in spacetime. A place where the fabric of reality was beginning to break down. He could sense others beyond the closed gates, struggling to escape their prison. At least one other of his kind, a masculine presence, had interfered. And so, the Great Game would continue*

***********

Alex slipped out into the calm dawn, determined to find Kulain and bring him back to the house. A rapid search of the place, just after midnight had found no monsters, no obvious criminal activities, but also no 'Lane. But to the obvious relief of both men, their eyes were almost returned to normal. So he and Mulder had agreed on a course of action. He would check out the grounds, while Mulder kept the lid on the situation. Mulder was also planning to check out all of the Professor's video cameras.

Alex forced his way through storm wrecked and soaking vegetation, cursing the aftermath of the storm. He eventually ended up walking for miles along narrow, winding paths. He could be within a hundred feet of the house, but the foliage was so dense that he couldn't tell where he was. Then the path that he was following emerged into a small clearing, at the centre of which was a rectangular stone building. Through its dirtied windows, he saw a hint of movement.

"Kulain?", he shouted, "Are you there?" The half rotted wooden door swung open, and a powerfully built, dark clad man emerged, blinking, into the daylight. Whoever he was, he was devastatingly handsome. Alex felt a flush rise up his cheeks at the frankly appraising look the stranger gave him. A quick glance at the earring he wore on occasion, when he needed reassurance and affirmation. The man moved towards Alex, stopped close in front of him, and one finger slowly stroked up the side of the young human's face, jingling the earring thoughtfully. Alex was frozen. His body didn't want to move, and at that touch an erotic frisson shivered through his body, running straight to his cock which swelled in response. Eyes of midnight blue stared into his.

//Oh god. Slit pupilled!//

Then he was kissed. Tenderly, devastatingly kissed. Fingers gripped his shoulders hard and his lips were forced open, not entirely unwillingly, as a tongue slid its way inside his mouth. A hand began to slide down his body to rub at his betraying cock, through the thin fabric of his clothes.

"Really Ash! Can't you find your own amusements?" Alex heard Kulain's familiar voice, and a strong arm slid around his waist, as the other moved back reluctantly. The agent felt dizzy, leaned back against his lover, shaking.

Ash laughed. "Kulain, you always did have good taste! I take it your instincts were warning you about this place."

Kulain's eyes narrowed. "I haven't forgotten about that time in the Towers, Ash."

"Kulain! There was a Hunter in the house." Somehow Alex found his voice. "It killed one of the students!"

"I wonder who called that!" Kulain said softly.

*******

They all went back to the house, and Mulder stared in surprise at Alex's new companion.

"This is Ash." Kulain said coolly. "He sheltered near here during the storm."

"Oh you poor thing!" Marie, the Professor's assistant bustled up. "Come with me and we'll fix you up with some food and dry clothes."

Mulder went off to try and contact the local field office. Again.

*********

Kulain shook his head as the little woman disappeared towards the kitchen, arm linked to the tall man's. "I could almost feel pity for him", he said in amusement, "but not quite."

Alex caught Kulain's arm. "Who was that?" His voice was hoarse.

"You could call him a rival." Kulain's gaze took in the state of his young lover. Alex was still half aroused, his eyes were very wide, pupils dilated, and his moistened lips were parted.

"I see!" Kulain said. "Come with me." He led the young agent back upstairs towards his room, past the area where the killing had occurred. The body had been removed and some attempt had been made to clean up the blood splatters. Alex didn't even notice.

Kulain pushed the younger man into the bedroom and locked the door. Alex was breathing hard, as if he had been running. The young man fumbled awkwardly at his clothes, tugging them off. His skin felt as if it was on fire. Kulain watched him as his hands ranged urgently across his own body, then laughed softly.

"Ash had quite an effect on you Alex!" Green eyes gazed at him uncomprehendingly. Kulain slid off his clothes, moved forward and kissed his young human. Alex wildly pulled Kulain's head down, kissing him as hard as he could. Kulain pushed Alex down onto the bed, feeling the human's burning need. Alex rubbed himself frantically against Kulain, wrapping his legs around his lover to draw him closer. Kulain gave a throaty laugh, buried his face in Alex's shoulder and bit the firm muscular flesh there. Alex screamed as he came in a shattering orgasm against Kulain. The demon flipped his lover's body over then, sliding his fingers into that willing ass. Alex was so ready.

*Kulain smiled to himself. He knew well the way his kind could affect humans, and he intended to fully take advantage of it. As well as reassert his claim over his young human.*

Alex moaned, already erect again from Kulain's slow stimulation of his entrance. Kulain began to work his large cock inside the tight opening, hearing Alex's small cries beneath him. Then he buried himself fully inside the firm body, began to slowly drive himself into it, pushing Alex's shoulders down hard against the bed. The agent was clawing at the sheets, totally uninhibited, sobbing in need. As Kulain's thrusts became harder and stronger, he felt delight that he had chosen such a fit and athletic lover, who could take the fierce pounding he could give and still want more, he felt the heat building rapidly, then Alex screamed wantonly in wild orgasm, and he matched it with his own release, loosing his essence into Alex's body. It was that which finally snapped the spell the other had over the agent. Their bodies both lay sprawling, spent, on top of the sheets.

*He drew an exhausted Alex into his embrace. "You're mine, Alex! You always will be. *Gusek gemi.* My little one." He licked the bite he had made on his lover's shoulder. Call it a mark of ownership. If Ash touched Alex again, he would forget all thoughts of truce and kill the interloper. Some things were NOT negotiable.*

********

Ash smiled to himself in amusement. He could feel, on the edge of his senses, what Kulain was doing to his human pet. How predictable! And of course it was a useful way to keep his rival out of the way for some time, while he made his preparations. His slightly aggressive manipulation of Alex had been well worth the trouble. A pity he hadn't the time to take the human before his protector came along. The young agent had been really delightfully responsive, and quite beautiful. Kulain would make sure Alex was guarded from interference from now on. He eyed Fox Mulder from the other side of the kitchen. The human was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping coffee. The agent had just spent hours looking at videos and was now in need of a break.

"Mind if I sit here?" Ash asked Mulder, gesturing towards the other chair, and at Mulder's nod, he sat next to the agent. And carefully placed his cup of coffee close to him. This close to Mulder, his senses told him what he had already surmised. Kulain had laid claim to this one too, with astonishingly sharp senses he could detect Kulain's pheromones overlaying the human's natural scent. If he made an aggressive move towards Mulder, Kulain would undoubtedly challenge him, but if he were subtly to seduce the human, it may provide Kulain with more distractions. Ash could always claim it was an accident, later.

Oh so casually, Ash reached out for his coffee, letting his finger brush for an instant against Mulder's hand, skin against skin. He sent the smallest jolt of dark energy into the human's body, //nudging// the man's mental barriers. Hazel eyes lifted to his, and he felt the rate of the human's heartbeat increase a fraction, even as Mulder's tongue flicked out to moisten suddenly dry lips.

"How are you feeling, Ash?" Mulder wasn't sure why he felt a sudden curiosity about the stranger.

The handsome man smiled. "The storm was pretty frightening, but I found somewhere dry to shelter. I should never have tried to drive to the island over the causeway last night. I had to leave my car, when I saw that the water had cut off the road. Lucky I found high ground." He deliberately inserted a note of vulnerability into his voice.

Mulder smiled at him, sympathetically. "If you left your car on the causeway, you're probably lucky to be alive. I understand it's still under water. That's why the local F.B.I. guys can't get here."

"You sound as if you're having problems of your own, Agent Mulder." He inserted just the right supportive note into his voice, and casually let his arm brush against the human. He knew the effect his closeness was having when the agent unconsciously tugged at his collar, suddenly feeling far too hot, as demon pheromones began to work on his system. Ash kept his voice low and seductive. "How long have you known Kulain, Agent Mulder? He's quite a character!"

"What?" Mulder's eyes were becoming unfocussed.

Ash smiled. He had Mulder now, like a fish on a hook. It only remained to draw in the line. It was so ridiculously easy. "Are you alright, Agent Mulder? You look feverish!" And he brushed his hand across Mulder's forehead. The human moaned, lifting his head, blindly seeking more of that touch. Ash laughed, and leaning forward, kissed the beautiful mouth, at first slowly. His control didn't last long. Mulder really was so delectable. Ash pushed himself against Mulder, plundering that luscious mouth in a hard, rough kiss. Mulder's hands came up, to clutch helplessly at Ash, and a sob escaped his lips. Ash tilted the human's head up and stared into his eyes. He traced one finger down the high cheekbones and Mulder grabbed at his hand, beginning to frantically suck at his fingers. Truly enchanting.

Ash felt regret. He dared not take Mulder now, for Kulain would certainly sense it. Besides, wasn't the point of the exercise to cause Kulain a lot of trouble and distraction. He gently unbuttoned Mulder's shirt and lowered his lips to nibble at the human's erect nipples, then he carefully bit a small fold of skin just above the left one, savouring the taste of blood. He also scraped his inhuman nails lightly across the smooth chest, delicately scoring the human's skin. Both acts were erotic markers for his kind, releasing sex hormones, and would sexually stimulate the young human into a frenzy.

He could already see the signs of impending arousal. Reluctantly, he pulled away from Mulder.

"No! Please..!" , the human pleaded.

"Later, perhaps'.", he said softly, and turned away, rapidly moving out of the room, distancing himself, before the human's behaviour became too bizarre. He could do a lot of mischief while they were trying to control Mulder!

********

Mulder felt so strange. It was close and almost claustrophobic in the little kitchen, yet he couldn't seem to remember taking his jacket off, unbuttoning his shirt. In fact his memory was distinctly hazy. It seemed he could remember being kissed, but not by whom. The air felt very good against his bare chest though. Silky and sensual. Then dizziness momentarily overcame him.

Andy came into the kitchen, looking for a snack. He glanced over in shy admiration at Mulder and felt a jolt of surprise, the agent wasn't his usual immaculately groomed self, that was certain. He sat, head down on the kitchen table, his shirt open and hanging outside his pants. Mulder lifted his head then, staring at Andy. The young man gasped. Mulder's eyes were wide, his lips lusciously moist and he had the strangest expression on his face, a mixture of open desire and confusion. He slowly stood up and slipped off his shirt, so that he was naked above the waist.

Andy was gawking at him.

"Hot. It's so hot in here!", Mulder's voice was husky, and he moved towards the sink unsteadily. He turned on the tap, caught some cold water in his hands, and in front of Andy's astonished gaze, let it run down his head and chest. A sudden devastating smile in Andy's direction.

"Why don't you come here. I want to feel you lick me all over". He began to slide his hands voluptuously across the slick skin of his chest. Then he slipped one finger suggestively into his mouth and suckled it expressively. The student blushed, feeling torn between his own desires and the obvious need to get help for Mulder. In the end, his decency won, and he fled.

Mulder felt as though his skin was almost blistering with heat now. He tugged off the rest of his clothes, but it didn't seem to make a difference. He felt as though the blood was rushing round his body at a million miles an hour, beginning to pool its heat around his cock which was very erect. He was consumed by an animal need for a hard body against his. Thought and reality were beginning to fade in and out now, instinct taking over. He wandered out into the hall, drifting as the need pulled him along. Scully came running out of the study, followed by Andy.

She looked in disbelief at her former partner, who stood naked, erect and obviously deranged in the middle of the marble floor. He swayed unsteadily, grinned at her.

"Scully!" A gasp. "Need you to help me." He fell to his knees before her, grabbed at her leg, and bent to run his tongue up it from ankle to knee. With a cry of disgust, she kicked out at him, catching him a glancing blow to the head. He fell onto his back, lay on the cool marble, staring up at the ceiling. He began to laugh hysterically, somehow the world seemed so funny at the moment. The heat was intoxicating, sliding its way back up his veins, like when Kulain had kissed him in that dark way.

Mulder felt the fire building up inside him, the pressure beyond control. When the dark fire boiled up out of him, exploded in electrical arcs across his skin, he was no longer even aware of his audience.

Mulder became the centre of a maelstrom of energy, his body curled up into a foetal position. Scully stared in horror at something totally outside her experience. The only thing that she could think of was to get Kulain, so she gestured frantically to Andy to run upstairs.

********

Kulain gently stroked his fingers along Alex's side, and the drowsing young man sighed softly. Regretfully Kulain decided that it was time to end this pleasant little interlude. He gently shook Alex awake. Green eyes gleamed at Kulain.

"That was incredible!", Alex said softly. "Can we do it again sometime?" He sat up, lithe and athletic, and rubbed uncomfortably at his shoulder. He winced when his fingers encountered the big bite. "Well, maybe not too soon!"

Kulain slipped on dark trousers and a Cashmere woollen top, as always, enjoying the sensual feel of natural textiles against his skin. He glanced at Alex. "Keep away from Ash, Alex. He finds it especially easy to manipulate humans." Alex looked suddenly wary, his survival instincts were very efficient.

Andy's sudden panicky voice shouted through the door. "Agent Krycek! Kulain! You've got to come! Agent Mulder is sick." Then Alex and Kulain were running together, dashing down the stairs. Kulain took in at a glance the swirling black fire surrounding Mulder, while Alex just stared in appalled fascination at his partner. Kulain plunged his hands into the fire, grabbing Mulder's naked shoulders, and drew the fire away from him. Scully and Andy watched helplessly as the fire seemed to withdraw into Kulain's hands. The demon lifted his head to scrutinise them. His eyes had turned completely black and were shimmering with suppressed heat. Andy moaned in dread. Then Kulain blinked and his eyes were back to their normal green, slit pupilled self. Not much comfort there for Andy.

"Alex!", he said urgently, "take Scully and find Ash. Bring him to me. And if he touches you just once, you'll be as helpless as Mulder." As they left, Kulain looked at Andy. "I know that you could have taken advantage of him, Andy. Thank you. Go and bring me his jacket, will you?". The student nervously did as he was asked. When he brought it back, Kulain said, "Give me the little box that's in the inside pocket". He drew out Mulder's small earring and slipped it in place. Then he lifted his lover's semi-conscious body and carried him into the study, lying him on the couch.

*********

Heat became need, became pain inside Mulder's head. It crawled along his skin, set burning chains around his soul. It seemed to last forever, but in the end Kulain's cool fingers were touching him, slowly easing the pain/need. Ice shivered down his spine from something cold touching the side of his face. He could feel the pulse of it, imposing itself on his still burning body. A huge dark diamond of ice that spun inside his head, in time with his heartbeat, steadying him. Soothing and protective. So much an echo of Kulain's presence that it was like a strong arm around him in support.

Mulder woke. He was lying in the study, Kulain sitting next to him. His lover didn't speak, only drew him close and held him. The human hugged back forcefully, then flushed as he realised he was totally naked. Andy looked relieved, and quietly offered the agent his clothes. Mulder looked at Kulain.

"What happened?" he whispered. "I don't remember taking my clothes off in public."

"Ash decided to have some fun with you." Kulain's voice was cold. He had noticed the unmistakable, though subtle traces of Ash's interference, the chemical traces that still lingered.

Scully and Alex returned with a grim faced Spender. A look of relief crossed Alex's face when he saw Mulder awake and apparently none the worse for his supernatural experience.

"We saw Ash disappear into the cellars", Scully said, "but we couldn't catch him. We found a hidden entrance down there. I'd guess there are miles of tunnels under this place."

"Yeah," Alex said, "but Spender found something else, the missing girl's body! Her throat was cut at least three days ago! There were signs that some sort of ritual had been performed!"

Kulain snarled, and the sound was not in the least human. His eyes glowed green for a moment, scaring at least half of the little group there in the study.

"Asmodeus, I'm going to kill you!"

*********

Chapter 3

***********

*He had made his preparations, and drawn power to himself, in anticipation of this conflict. And he had summoned his two allies with promises of blood and sacrifice. Kulain would fall. The humans in this place would serve him as offerings for the denizens of Hell who fought with him. Except for Kulain's two pets. Those two delectable humans would spend the rest of their lives serving his every need and desire. Not that they would last very long, he had a regrettable tendency to handle his toys roughly. And they broke so easily.*

********

Kulain examined the girl's body, while the other F.B.I. agents watched. Her wretched body was bruised and battered, and she had suffered many indignities before her death. The actual sacrifice had been performed in a magic circle on the stone floor of the cellar, and her throat had been cut. There were no hesitation cuts, the killer had been determined enough to complete the task in one moment. There were cryptic symbols chalked around the circumference of the circle, and several black candle stubs.

"Did Ash do this?" Mulder said, as he stared at the corpse in disgust at the waste of a life. Kulain shook his head.

"Ash wouldn't need to kill her, she would slit her own throat if he wanted her to. You felt how powerful his influence was over humans."

"That's one thing she didn't do", Scully said. "The angle of the wound makes that impossible. She didn't commit suicide."

"So if it wasn't Ash, who was it?" Alex asked.

Kulain frowned. "Someone with occult knowledge had to summon Ash here, and the Hunter that killed Pete. Someone who the girl trusted enough to meet privately."

Scully nodded. "One of the research team then. Which gives us five suspects."

*********

Mulder needed time to think. To reason this out. He knew that his opponents were ruthless and more than usually deadly, but each of the possible suspects seemed, on the face of it, to be impossible choices. Andy had helped him after Ash had meddled with his body. The two other students seemed fairly innocent young women. Their terror at recent events seemed genuine. The Professor was only interested in science, Mulder couldn't imagine him feeling such hatred as the killer had felt when the girl was killed. Which left Marie, the Professor's assistant.

He paused. What did he really know about her? An apparently pleasant older woman. But he remembered the look she had given him when he had been hugging Alex. Jealousy! Surely she wasn't the sort of person to resort to murder and black magic.

He recalled the chandelier falling towards him alone, before Alex had risked himself to save his lover. He lifted his head, caught Scully's eye. "It's Marie!" he said softly. "You didn't see how jealous she was, when she was flirting with Alex and I got in the way. I think she might be unstable enough."

Scully frowned. "Apparently the Professor was quite taken with the victim here, it's possible that Marie thought her years of loyalty would count for nothing, if the Professor got a pretty new assistant."

"I need expert advice", Mulder said. He walked over to his lover.

"Kulain, why do people summon demons?"

His partner raised an eyebrow in the best Spock manner. "An interesting question, Fox. It's usually a typical human reason - love, lust money or power."

Mulder looked at him for a long moment. "What about revenge?"

*********

The Professor frowned when Spender and Alex asked where his assistant was. "I really don't have time for this! I have to correlate my data! Marie is usually around somewhere. Try the kitchen!"

"We've looked there!", Spender said irritably.

"Oh well, she's probably checking the storm damage on the house", he shook his head vexedly.

Alex looked puzzled. "Why would she need to do that?" he said. "It's not as if it was her property!"

"Oh but it is!" The Professor smiled guilelessly. "Didn't you know? She's the last heir to the Wilson property."

"No one thought to mention it, no!" Alex said. He glanced at Spender.

"She probably knows every nook and cranny in this hole! We'll just have to search it. Again." Alex sighed. Oddly enough, he was managing to work well with Spender at the moment. The man's arrogance had been a little subdued by the proof of the supernatural that he'd witnessed with his own eyes. And he hadn't seen a fraction of the things Alex had witnessed!

//If you last through this case Spender, maybe there's hope for you yet.//

In the end, it was down to chance that they found the unstable woman. While they were searching the top floor, there was a sudden noise of scraping in the rafters above. Alex pulled out his gun, and ran silently to the base of the stairs, Spender close behind him. They crept upwards, then entered the attics. Moving towards the source of the noise, they soon found Marie. She was muttering to herself, while examining the contents of a large trunk, apparently filled with age spotted silken gowns. She threw items aside into a pile as she discarded them.

Spender moved forward, gun aimed steadily at her. "You're under arrest. Stand up slowly and put your arms behind your back." While Alex kept her covered, he advanced, intending to put cuffs on her.

Marie's face contorted into a mask of hatred, her lips drew back in a snarl of rage, and she rose, strangely graceful, to her feet. Then she brought her hands up swiftly, crossing her arms over her chest and bunching her fists in an oddly ritualistic gesture of defence. But what happened next was totally unexpected for the two men. Blue fire flared into life, surrounding her body in a glowing nimbus. Instinctively, Spender fired, again and again, and stared in disbelief as his bullets ricocheted off the cocoon of fire as if it was a shield. Marie smiled maliciously, and aimed an index finger at Spender. Lightning arched from her hand, striking Spender in the chest, knocking him off his feet and all the way over to the far wall, at least ten feet away.

Some instinct in Alex, long buried, pushed it's way to the surface, uncoiled inside his mind. When the finger aimed at him, he reflexively flung out his left, inhuman hand in defence. And blue fire clashed, was reflected from the black fire that had sprung into being around him. He felt himself change, the part of him that was demon coming to the fore. As familiar to him now as breathing or fucking. Eyes sharpened, became cat like, and his hand altered to show greenish scales and fierce talons.

Somehow Alex knew how to respond. How to //push// back at her with his own energy. The earring he wore seemed to grow icy cold against his hot skin. And dark fire spilled outwards from his own inhuman flesh, to collide with that terrible blue shield. For a moment, energy was in balance. Blue meeting Black. Then the younger man's inhuman strength showed to his advantage. Her shield cracked, seemed to spin itself apart in a thousand glittering fragments of energy. She sagged forward in exhaustion. He moved forward, even as his power won against hers, and grabbed her wrists with his inhuman hand, twisting them behind her. The other hand slipped on the cuffs, none too gently. It was only then that he realised what he had done. Taken part in a magical duel with a witch and won! Even as comprehension broke over him, Spender limped up to him, bruised, a look of half disbelieving awe on his face.

"Remind me never to arm wrestle with you, Krycek", he said softly, staring a little wildly at Alex's left arm, utterly nonhuman.

Alex grinned suddenly, and for the sheer hell of it, slapped Spender in a comradely way on the shoulder with that same hand. He completed the effect by winking, so that Spender would notice his changed eyes. The look on Spender's face was definitely worth it.

They made their way down to the cellars, Alex keeping a secure hold on Marie, claws tightened against her skin to stop her making a break for it. Mulder and Scully had set up a base of operations in the cellar, which was where they expected Ash to show himself. Kulain rose to his feet when the three humans entered the cellar. He had been squatting, drawing something with chalk on the floor. It turned out to be a large, almost complete circle, surrounded by enigmatic markings.

Alex frowned. "Looks interesting Mulder, what's it all about?"

His partner grinned. "Kulain's been teaching me the rudiments of witchcraft. Amazing what my education neglected!"

"Yeah!" said Alex. "Tell me about it."

Mulder noticed his arm and his eyes widened. "You had trouble?" he said softly, and reached out to squeeze his lover's changed hand in loving concern.

"Nothing I couldn't handle!" Mulder winced at the awful pun, but at least it proved Alex was in high spirits. "You were right, Fox. She is mixed up in this." Alex turned to Kulain. "She tried to kill us by throwing blue fire at us. I don't know how, but I knew how to stop her."

Kulain smiled enigmatically, then he gestured to the circle. "Get in there", he ordered Marie.

She gave him a poisonous glance. "My lord Asmodeus will kill you all, for laying your hands on me!" Her voice dripped venom. Alex shoved her, and she finally complied. Kulain swiftly completed the circle with the chalk. The results were fairly dramatic. She shrieked terribly and collapsed onto the floor inside the circle. Blue fire flared outwards, monstrous and hungry. And was trapped within the circle, unable to pass its limits.

"Ash must come now", Kulain said. "She is the source of his power. Without her he is helpless."

Mulder moved towards him and slid his arms around his strong lover, leaning against him, apprehensive. Kulain slowly reached up and stroked the side of his face in an intimate caress. "Don't worry, *shakushu*, just by having her, we've almost won. Besides you've seen a demon summoned before." An amused smile. "Or had you forgotten?"

*******

*Ash felt Kulain cut off the source of his power and howled in rage. Summoning his allies to him, he gave secret instructions for Kulain's defeat. Perhaps he could catch Kulain off guard now. He wanted revenge for past defeats. That same desire in Marie had brought them together in mutual hatred of their enemies.*

*********

There was little warning when the water demon struck. Somewhere in the depths of the Earth, beneath the island, pressure had built up in the layers of rock, as the height of the groundwater rose during the storm. A small //nudge//, fracturing impermeable barriers, was an easy task for the demon. One moment the agents were quietly discussing strategies, the next minute a wall of mud, water and filth was roaring towards them, through underground passageways.

As tonnes of vile water swept down on him, Mulder's feet were swept from under him, and Alex was caught up in the flood. Scully and Spender were nearer the cellar steps, and the young man caught the wooden rail as he was swept past. The other hand managed to loop into Scully's belt, and he dragged her with him, up the stairs, out of the worst part of the flood. Kulain disappeared under the water, and the shrieking witch began to drown in the muck.

The water demon swam easily through the tide of water. Its' head and torso resembled a shark, but it had huge bony arms and powerful flippered legs. The huge body broached the water next to a struggling Mulder. Cruelly powerful arms seized the human, pulling him under the water. The pressure of that grip on his chest was so great that Mulder couldn't breathe properly, and as he was drawn beneath the surface, he began to drown. Alex saw Mulder go under. With all his strength, he dived towards his lover, extending his claws to try and hurt the creature. Something fast and deadly flashed past him as he struggled in the current, then dived under the water. Kulain's fierce claws sank into the back of the other demon, slicing through thick blubbery flesh. An agile head whipped round, and serrated teeth sank a bite deep into Kulain's side. He struck again, powerful muscles pulling open the huge jaws, until with a crack, the jaw bone broke. With a terrible howl, the water demon released Mulder's body, so that it could fight Kulain properly. Mulder's limp body began to drift downwards into the depths of the water. He made no attempt to save himself.

In a contest of strength, both demons seized each other and began to squeeze, muscles straining, as each tried to crush the life out of the other. Alex desperately swam to the spot where he had last seen Mulder, now distant from the thrashing combat of the two lethal antagonists. He dived underwater, and at first, could barely see in the murky water. Then following those ice cold instincts that seemed to help him so much these days, he deliberately forced his eyes to change from human to //other//. His vision instantly sharpened, and he saw a small trail of silvery bubbled below him. Then his arms were around a limp body, and he was pulling it towards the cellar steps. Scully and Spender were waiting, and helped him to drag his lover's body out of the water. Scully immediately began to give Mulder mouth to mouth resuscitation

Kulain rose up out of the water, victorious, bleeding from a dozen small wounds, and one huge bite. The body of his opponent floated away with the currents.

Scully looked up, desperation on her face. "It's not working!", she sobbed. "Maybe with some medical equipment and drugs, we could help him, but there's nothing I can do for him here."

Alex shook his head in desperate denial, then flung himself at Kulain, grabbing hold of him. "Help him! You've got to help him!" Dark pupilled eyes gazed into his for an eternity. Then Kulain moved towards Mulder, and laid one bloodstained hand on Mulder's chest. A blaze of light flared round Mulder's body. Then he was coughing wretchedly, vomiting up water, struggling feebly to sit up. The humans could only stare at Kulain in awe.

Kulain sank back, leaning tiredly against the steps, as the blood continued to trickle from his side. "A clever move, Ash!" he said softly. Scully reached forward to draw the cloth of his shirt away from his side. Kulain shook his head. "If you touch my blood it will burn you Agent Scully. Alex can help me, he's immune to it." Gently his young lover uncovered the injury, and hissed in shock at the bare gleam of bone in the wound.

"Can you heal it, Kulain?" he whispered, knowing something of his lover's talents. A tired smile. "Not immediately, little one. It's difficult to heal twice in such a short time. It's not too serious, but it makes the contest with Ash more balanced." So Kulain had put Mulder's safety before his own. The realisation stunned a listening Scully.

******

*As expected, his allies' attack had been very successful. He had sacrificed one pawn, but his second helper was more effective in close quarter attacks. And Marie was still very useful.*

******

The water level was beginning to fall already, from its almost ceiling height. Groundwater began to sink through a thousand small seepage cracks, finding lower levels to settle at. The flood slowed to a trickle, then as the waters withdrew, the true scale of the devastation was revealed. Hundreds of wine bottles lay scattered in a foot of thick, slimy mud. There were countless pieces of unidentifiable debris, remains of centuries of smuggling and slavery on the plantation surrounding the house; fragments of wooden casks, sinister links of metal and boxes with unidentifiable contents. And there was the bloated, bluish grey corpse of Marie the witch, no longer surrounded by a circle, as at some point, a shard of wood had scored past it on the floor, breaking its' power.

The sound of movement, far down the sodden passageway alerted the little group that more conflict was on the way. Wordlessly the agents had chosen not to risk civilian lives, up in the main part of the house, and they all readied themselves. Alex instinctively stationed himself next to a barely conscious Mulder, his fingers slipping down briefly to squeeze his partner's shoulder. Scully joined Alex, and he gave her a quick, tight smile. Kulain rose slowly to his feet, and swayed unsteadily. His glance fell on Alex and he smiled briefly at the young man's loyalty. Then Ash and his ally rounded the corner. Alex immediately felt a gut deep loathing for the creature who accompanied Ash, who had an insectoid body but a misshapen and over-large human head. A pair of large pincers and a swaying, upright, scorpion tail completed the nightmare effect. Had he been familiar with Near Eastern mythology, he might have recognised the traditional bogey man of that area of the world, a Scorpion man.

Ash scrutinised the humans accompanying Kulain. He smirked. "I see your two little pets are still alive Kulain. I'll enjoy them after I kill you!" With a snarl of rage, Kulain lunged at his enemy and the two of them began wrestling in the filth of the cellar floor. The Scorpion man moved towards the humans with unsuspected speed, and its' stinger suddenly arched towards Spender. With phenomenal reflexes, Alex struck out with his left hand, deflecting the strike. He missed with his claws though, and the stinger drew back, like a real scorpion's would, for a second strike. Another swift release, and Alex barely dodged the poisonous spike. Then he had it, slicing at it like a cat being teased, claws ripping and tearing it to shreds. With a squeal, the monster launched itself at Alex and he too became involved in a life or death struggle.

A new horror manifested itself in front of the other humans. The disgusting, bloated corpse of the witch began to haul itself towards them. One leg clearly had been damaged during the flood, and dragged behind it as the corpse moved, animated by a tendril of blue fire. Spender and Scully had to try and hold it off, one then the other feinting towards it, to try and draw it away from the half conscious Mulder. Then Scully made a mistake, and her hair was caught by rubbery fingers. Spender began to beat the corpse with the butt of his gun, as it forced her back against the wooden rail alongside the stairs, trying to crush the agent.

Mulder came slowly to full consciousness. His head was on fire, his chest ached, and there was a vile taste in his mouth. He tried to slip back into the warm, safe darkness, but something hard and icy cold was jabbing itself repeatedly into his cheek. He tried to focus his eyes, and realised how serious things around him had become. A ghost of memory seemed to slide its way into his brain, like a sliver of cool glass.

"Steel!" he yelled at Alex. "Steel kills them!" The young agent's eyes flickered towards him in acknowledgement. His partner had carried a switchblade in his pocket for months now. His fumbling right hand managed to get it out, while the other held the creature off. Then an arc of steel cut through the scorpion man's throat, and it fell dead before Alex, body twitching.

Alex grinned at his partner, and turned towards the witch, a fraction too late to dodge the phenomenally strong hand that struck him across the face, stunning him. Mulder dragged himself closer as Spender frantically tried to distract her, then he caught up the knife and flung it at Scully. Mulder's former partner desperately stabbed at the witch, which probably saved her life. Impaled, the witch shuddered, tried to recoil, and was finished off by Spender as he hit her head repeatedly with a metal bar. In fact, he kept on beating at the carcass even after it fell, immobile at his feet. Mulder unsteadily made his way over to the body, tugged the knife from Scully's unresisting fingers, then acting on that same crisp, cool instinct, began to messily hack the head off.

A terrible wailing dissonance rose into the air, making all the humans cover their ears in pain. Ash, Lord Asmodeus of the Seventh Realm of Hell, howled in frustration as the last link of his power was finally severed. Even as his body began to dissolve into swirling darkness, he screamed curses at Kulain and humanity.

*And the rift in space, that Ash had created to enter the world, was slammed shut and sealed tight against interference. Ice cold satisfaction echoed through that part of the cosmos, around the region which had been patched. Which had momentarily been forced into the shape of a spinning black diamond.*

Kulain had been badly battered by his exertions, and leaned back against the wall, his breathing soft and steady. He closed his eyes, satisfied by what he had accomplished, and began the healing process.

Alex, dazed, sat up. "Did we win?" he asked uncertainly. And he swiped at the thick red blood that poured from his probably broken nose and cut mouth. He looked around him, at a pale, bruised Scully, a trembling Spender and his beloved Mulder, who looked like a drowned rat.

Mulder grimaced. "Oh yes love, we won! But how we're going to explain this one away, I don't know!"

*******

In the end, Scully was the coolest of them under pressure, and managed to explain the edited highlights to a worried Skinner. Kulain had disappeared by the time F.B.I. backup appeared, and the battered agents were ferried to hospital. Scully insisted on Mulder remaining there for a few days, despite his protests. So Alex found himself making the long journey home, alone. He would have stayed with his lover, but Mulder had insisted he went there to wait for Kulain.

As it happened, Mulder arrived home before Kulain. Even as he opened the apartment door, Alex fell on him, hugging him with all his strength, only easing his grip when Mulder protested his sore ribs. Alex pulled them both down onto the couch and Mulder leaned his head against a strong shoulder. He was content to lay there, enjoying Alex's warmth, ignoring the signs of incipient arousal in his partner. In fact, he didn't seem to feel anything remotely sexual at the moment, and his own lack of response didn't bother him. The only thing he seemed to feel now, in any strength, was a bone deep coldness inside his head, that wouldn't seem to go away..

Alex, on the other hand was puzzled. Mulder had shown no physical response to him for over a week. In fact nothing since before Ash had'..

//Oh shit! Ash messed him up!//

Soft laughter roused him from that worrying train of thought. "You won't get much of a reaction at the moment Alex. Not until I unshield him!" Kulain was leaning against the wall, casually, smiling in amusement. He moved alongside Mulder and tilted the human's head up, smiled into faintly troubled hazel eyes. Long fingers gently rubbed at Mulder's temples, then Kulain lowered his lips in a forceful kiss. A low moan emerged from Mulder, then abruptly, Kulain lowered his mouth and bit deep into his lover's neck. The human's eyes flew open in shock, then it was as if a veil was drawn away from his face and the old Mulder was back. Furious, he hit out at Kulain, and his hand clutched at the bloody mark. That curious icy shell that had protected Mulder from Ash, was now gone.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Definitely the old Mulder. Kulain laughed, and in a single fluid movement, scooped Mulder up off the couch, ignoring his yelp of shock. A few strides took them to the bedroom where Mulder was unceremoniously dumped on the bed. Alex had to laugh at the outrage on his partner's face. Kulain didn't stop there. He ripped off the expensive shirt Mulder was wearing, flinging it away. "Stop it!" Mulder yelled. "Alex! Are you going to let him get away with this?" Then Kulain pulled him close and silenced him with a kiss.

Mulder was drowning again, but this time his body wanted it. Craved it. He began to drink in his partner like the sea. His hands began to fumble with his own clothes, suddenly needing to free his swollen cock from too tight clothes. Kulain's fingers were there before his, knocking his hands away, then a hot mouth closed round his cock and time seemed to slow. He cried out, tried to thrust himself upwards towards those knowing lips. Then Kulain pulled away from him. He began to sob in protest, until a pair of very human eyes looked into his, as Alex took over from Kulain, driving his lover wild. Kulain finished stripping, and slid up behind Mulder on the bed, pushing him onto his stomach and gently sliding a finger into Mulder's tightness. The human's movements became almost frantic as he tried to push himself back onto the questing hand. Kulain didn't make him wait too long. There was a lot of suppressed desire in his usually more inhibited lover, that he intended to taste to the full.

Alex grinned at him in complicity. "You first", he said slyly. What an invitation! Kulain pushed his large shaft deep inside Mulder, hearing the human's breath catch in a delicious sob. He found it difficult to hold back at first, but was soon driving himself deep into the young body, slamming into him, feeling the human writhe beneath him. Orgasm came so soon for both of them, their bodies were so desperate for relief.

Alex was impressed. Despite his own considerable talents, he couldn't remember ever being so forceful with Mulder. His partner would have punched him first! In fact the sight of Mulder being so thoroughly satisfied was an incredible turn on. As Kulain withdrew from Fox, a whimper of protest emerged from the human. That was all the invitation Alex needed to take his turn. Recognition sparked in Mulder's face as Alex slid alongside him, slightly shocked hazel eyes flashed in welcome. Then he lost himself in the warmth and sweetness of his lover's body, his lovemaking gentle and slow in comparison to Kulain's hunger. He slid into Mulder's warmth easily, his lover was still slippery from Kulain's fucking. As he moved, the body beneath his began to respond, moaning and writhing in rapture. Alex laughed, continued to move slowly and brought Mulder to the brink again. Then he came, crying out as he erupted into his lover. Mulder sobbed in frustration, his cock still hard. Alex fell to one side, panting as Kulain took over again and finished that round for him.

A little later, when both men had recovered, Kulain pulled Mulder onto his hands and knees. He gestured to Alex who was eager to please his partners. Deep inside Mulder, the last thing he expected was to be taken himself, to spend the next few minutes in complete and utter glory, until climax brought both relief and a loss of that incredible pleasure.

By the time he and Kulain had finished with Mulder, the agent was sprawled face down on the bed, spread-eagled, sunk in exhausted, blissful sleep.

Kulain's eyes gleamed at Alex. "You're stronger than you used to be, Alex. A year ago, I would have driven you both into the ground with that session." The younger man blushed. "The changes in your body are responsible." Amusement showed in Kulain's face. "And you're not entirely human anymore." Then, seeing the worry flare in his lover's eyes, Kulain slid behind Alex and went on to prove, very distractingly, that Alex had a long way to go before he could match Kulain for strength and endurance.

And leaving both his lovers in exhausted sleep, Kulain stared into the bedroom mirror, sending a spark of power into it. The glass shimmered and changed, so that he gazed into a far away, beloved face. "My plans are almost completed", he said softly. She smiled at him, with eyes so like his own, and made her plans for conquest.

*********

"You have what I wanted?" The Cigarette Smoking Man said urgently.

Spender glared at him in revulsion. "I have it! You can consider my debt to you paid! You got me the X files, I give you the samples. Case closed!" He passed over the two small glass tubes to his hated father. "The one with the red label is a sample of Alex Krycek's blood. The one with the black label is Kulain's . Why do you want them anyway?"

"Oh. Just a few DNA tests. Nothing to worry about. It's perfectly legal to test blood like that. In the national interest. Especially if you suspect their owners to have committed a crime - the brutal murder of four employees of my government agency, a year ago."

//He smiled in satisfaction. Mulder! Now I have you!//

 

* * *

 

Dark Angel's Fire IV - Death or Dishonour  
by Megaera

31st October 1998  
Feedback to FEEDBACK is life  
NC-17  
DISCLAIMER All X Files Characters belong to Chris Carter and Fox, I've just borrowed them for a while. I am not making any profit out of this, it's just for entertainment. The character of Kulain is mine but you can use him if you like, Mr. Carter.  
COMMENTS This story is set in an Alternate Universe where demons can interact more freely with humans and can shapeshift. If you don't like my laws of physics, go find your own.

* * *

Dark Angel's Fire IV  
Death or Dishonour  
by Megaera

********

"Those samples you sent us Sir." The young scientist sounded nervous.

The Cigarette Smoking Man gave him a thoughtful look and took a long draw on his cigarette. "Go ahead."

"Sir. I don't know exactly what they are!" He received a quizzical look.

"One isn't human, the other might have been human once, but it's been altered almost beyond recognition. There are new base pairs in the DNA that we've never seen before. And there's evidence that the alterations are deliberate and ongoing."

"Tell me about the second sample. The non human one?" The Cigarette Smoking Man frowned. "You've studied the technical reports that our alien... allies have provided. Isn't it comparable?"

The scientist shook his head. "Sir, I thought the alien material scared me until I saw this! The complexity is terrifying. Even our alien friends are in the Stone Age compared to this. We don't even know how to study it, none of our techniques give accurate results. I'd guess that the DNA strand is at least a million times more intricate than our own. There's also evidence of more than two DNA strands. Can I speculate, Sir?" A nod. "The human was deliberately infected by the owner of the non-human DNA as part of some hybridisation experiment!"

"Send half the sample to our allies. Let's see what their reaction is."

********

Alex and Mulder were on vacation. Well, sort of. They had both been sent to New York for a week to attend a conference on "Criminal Psychology and Cults." Somehow a superior had remembered their experience in that area, and had decided to get them out of his (thinning) hair for a while.

Alex leaned back in the comfortable chair and raised his glass in salute. "Thanks Skinner. It's about time you did us a favour." Dressed casually, he stretched out his long legs and gave his partner a serene smile. With only one or two discussions to attend each day, there was plenty of time for relaxation and sightseeing.

Mulder smiled back at him in lazy contentment. "Fancy seeing some of the city this afternoon, Alex?" he said.

"Sure. Why not?" The younger man rose eagerly to his feet and followed Mulder out into the bustling city streets. They spent hours wandering past expensive shops, museums and long skyscraper lined streets. It didn't really matter. It felt so good to be with Alex, close to him, with no worries or hidden agendas. The younger man slid his arm round Mulder's waist at some point, and leaned into him as they walked. That felt good, too.

"Hey! Look at that!" Alex pointed towards a little shop. Mulder followed his gaze and felt a flicker of interest. One of those traditional old occult supply shops.

"Need some eye of newt, Alex?"

His partner grinned. "The only thing I want, you're going to give me tonight anyway!"

Mulder swallowed. He was finding it difficult to think past the suddenly tightness in his crotch. Alex headed towards the door of the shop, tugged at Mulder to follow, then went in. God, he was so beautiful.

Mulder blinked as he went in the dark and slightly dusty shop, then his eyes adjusted. An old woman sat near the front of the shop, she watched him with a bright bird like gaze, then her eyes flickered to his partner.

"Two beautiful young men! It must be my lucky day."

Mulder smiled. "Mind if we look around. I've never been in a place like this before!" The woman rose, gestured grandly towards the shop, and sank back onto her perch. Alex began to poke at something in a box on the counter, with his finger, a cloud of dust rose, and he sneezed explosively. Mulder turned away quickly, before Alex could see the laughter in his eyes. Then an old book, open on a nearby table, caught his eye. The book was pretty old, and was filled with slightly off centre, hand printed woodcuts. The one he had seen showed a large demon standing over a group of cowering peasants, grovelling at his feet. He flicked to the front cover, and looked at the title. *Fraser's Demonologie.*

"How much is this?" he asked, bringing the book to the front counter. Alex eyed him suspiciously, was Mulder seriously going to spend his money here?

"Three hundred dollars", the old woman said sharply. "But surely, a young man like you doesn't want to get involved in black magic!"

Mulder grimaced. "It's a bit late! I'm always getting into trouble. A bit of extra knowledge wouldn't hurt." He flung down three hundred dollar bills on the counter and slipped the small book into his jacket pocket. The two of them began to head out of the door, Alex shaking his head.

"Wait!" The old woman said. "I want to read the cards for you." Alex's eyebrows shot up and he rolled his eyes dramatically, out of sight of the woman. Mulder glared at him, then returned to the counter. The old woman pulled out a pack of well thumbed cards, and began to lay them out in a pattern on the wooden surface. She turned over the central card.

"This is you. Justice!" Alex's eyes widened. She studied the spread of cards. "The empress is prominent. You will have an encounter with a beautiful woman. In the past, your cards show the moon, card of deception, and at present, the Tower struck by lightning - an enigmatic card. Sometimes it means disaster, but at other times, the overthrow of a powerful enemy. Your future is strangest of all. The Devil, card of darkness and mystery, but in this case influenced by the card of the Lovers. A very strange grouping of the cards. You must take care!" Mulder nodded.

*********

"You took her seriously, didn't you?" Alex shook his head as they lounged in the hotel bar. They were waiting for the last debate of the day, a free for all on the beliefs of cultists. Alex leered at his lover with brightly intelligent eyes. "So you're going to have a disaster with a woman! I can't wait!"

"After all the supernatural things you've seen over the past eighteen months, you still think it's fraud?"

Alex shrugged. "Some of it is, Foxy. Just don't take it too seriously." Alex's face softened. "Life's too short. Enjoy it while you can!"

Mulder smiled. "I was planning to," he murmured, and his fingers lingered for a moment on Alex's arm.

*********

The guest speaker for the next part of the conference was a smug, arrogant and thoroughly irritating doctor of psychology called Sam Duncan. He proceeded to savagely criticise all criminologists who advocated non-traditional explanations for cult behaviour. Then he dropped his bombshell. "Do you realise that the F.B.I., the premiere law enforcement organisation in the world, has just opened an Occult Investigation Bureau. They're actually taking ghosts and goblins seriously!"

Alex grabbed at Mulder before he could make a fool of himself. Mulder shook off his lover's restraining hand and rose to his feet. "I'm the head of that bureau! What exactly are your criticisms of my department?"

For a moment, Duncan was nonplussed, then his gaze took in the younger man standing before him, and he smiled tightly. "You honestly believe in the supernatural? You'll publicly say that?"

Mulder froze, sensing the trap. "I believe there are things we can't explain", he said cautiously.

"Well then. I'd like to issue you with a challenge. In my home state of Mississippi, there have been legends of mysterious creatures seen in the woods for centuries. We have a group of cultists under scrutiny at the moment, who claim to be the servants of these so called dark powers. I'll investigate them using traditional methods and you can look into the occult aspects of the case."

Mulder gave him a blistering glance. "Sure. Make it an official request and we'll be happy to hunt down your monsters!"

*******

Mulder was still smouldering with anger an hour after the debate, in the bar. "Bastard! Putting me on the spot like that! Some people just like to trash the F.B.I." He took a long gulp of scotch.

Alex shook his head. "I don't think so, Foxy. I think you were set up! He had to know from the guest list that we would be at the debate. All he had to do was get into a public argument with you. Easy enough to plan. The big question is why?"

Mulder lifted his face to look into his lover's eyes, then shrugged. "We don't have a choice then. We accept the case. I don't want to be looking over my shoulder for an ambush, I'd rather be prepared."

//You're so comforting, Foxy//

Mulder suddenly looked straight into his eyes. "Fancy an early night, Alex?"

"Yeah Foxy. But I get to choose the entertainment. Just give me five minutes, then come up to the room."

Mulder pretended to look startled. He had suspected from the moment that Alex had upgraded their room, that he was planning one of his surprises. The younger man delighted in broadening his more conservative lover's mind. Now he had a hot tub, room service and a rather poorly hidden bottle or two of champagne to play with. Mulder could think of a surprising number of variations on that theme, that his lover probably didn't expect. Still, when Alex got enthusiastic, it was always worth indulging him.

When he slipped into the room, the lighting was subdued. "In here!", a voice called. Ah yes, the tub! Mulder casually slid off his clothes and walked into the room where Alex was waiting. What a view, and Mulder wasn't thinking about the view of the New York skyline. Alex was reclining in the bubbling water. His emerald eyes were smouldering with pure lust. One hand stretched out towards him, proffering a long stemmed glass of the champagne. He accepted it and slid into the water, which seemed to be at blood heat. Alex's long fingers stroked his chest, then he raised the glass. "To Kulain, who made all this possible!"

Mulder returned the toast, and sipped the chilled drink, letting the bubbles tickle his throat, and surrendering to the intoxicating flavour. The bubbling water was relaxing, and the feel of it against his skin was utterly sensual. Lips parted in desire, he regarded Alex through half closed eyes. The young man slowly began to move towards him, and slid his arms round Fox's neck, then his lips moved in for the kill. Oh yes. This was worth the wait.

Alex began to plant little kisses along Mulder's neck and shoulder. His lips lingered against the old bite scar that Kulain had left on one spectacular occasion, on Mulder's neck. Oddly enough, Alex had one to match, and he didn't regret a single moment of that conquest of his body. Their lover was rough on occasion, when the phantoms that troubled his mind came to the surface. And sometimes he was so restrained, it was easy to forget what he was. Alex continued to gently suckle the mark, until Mulder moaned in longing, then let his lips stray downwards. His head dipped momentarily under the water, to suck something more sensitive, that was making its' presence felt against his belly, as he pressed himself against Mulder.

Mulder was beginning to feel hot, and it wasn't because of the water temperature. He could feel the water swirling past his body, caressing him intimately. Alex was doing something incredible with his tongue, then the younger man turned in his embrace and lowered himself onto Mulder's swollen cock. He had deliberately not opened himself too far, and the agent felt as though he were being held in a tight fist, as Alex began to groan and push himself further down onto his lover.

"I'm in control", Alex hissed. "You're mine!"

Mulder laughed in his ear, and pulled Alex towards him, his arms supporting his lover as Alex began to move. As his motion became more frantic, it was more difficult for Mulder to hold still. He was so close to orgasm from his engaging young lover's actions. Then Alex froze!

"Don't you dare come, Fox Mulder!" His lover's voice was hungry with desire. "Self control, Foxy. Makes it better. I promise you!" Slowly now, he began to move, tiny, exquisitely sensual movements that tormented Mulder more than anything else he could think of at that moment. Alex prolonged the sex, long past the moment Mulder thought he would scream his loss of control. Alex's body stilled, whenever he felt Mulder's body begin to reach for orgasm. Alex leaned back voluptuously against Mulder. "You like that, don't you Foxy!"

Mulder was going out of his mind. He had heard the rumours that tantric self control was supposed to enhance sex. Apparently, the stories were true!

Finally, Alex's incredible self control deserted him, and he started to thrust back hard, again and again, then his muscles tightened unmistakably in orgasm, and Mulder felt himself erupt into the warm body with a rocketing force that made him think he was in orbit. When he became aware of his surroundings again, his head was resting against a warm, secure shoulder, and two strong arms were wrapped round him. He was on the bed.

"Shhh Foxy." Alex's beloved voice murmured in his ear. He didn't really want to move anyway, so he just leaned into that wonderful embrace. A slightly relieved laugh. "You've never passed out from our sex before, have you? Maybe I should be adventurous more often!"

Mulder let his arms close around Alex, and nuzzled his neck gently.

"Mmmm, my turn next, Ratboy", he said sleepily, then drowsed, secure and happy in Alex's watchful protection.

********

The young scientist came slowly into the Cigarette Smoking Man's presence. He looked a little shellshocked. "I have the alien analysis on the DNA samples that you requested."

The Cigarette Smoking Man eagerly lifted his eyes from the rather dry report he was reading. "Go ahead!"

"Our friends became quite excitable when they scanned the sample. They claim to have seen only one like it before. They seemed to be quite superstitious about it! I was told that their last sample belonged to the *Destroyer of Worlds*, whoever that is. They think that this creature is back. The only thing is... that sample was a female's."

*******

The hammering on the door roused Mulder from the delectable warmth of a pair of arms entwined around him. He lifted his head muzzily as the volley of sounds continued. Alex muttered curses under his breath, and stumbled towards the door, wrapping a hotel robe around him as he went. "Who is it?", he grumbled.

"Open up. Police!"

Stunned green eyes fixed upon his, as Mulder hurriedly pulled on his pants. Alex opened the door. Four beefy cops charged in, and Mulder was immediately grabbed, and slammed up against the wall. Alex yelped as he too was seized and his arms were roughly cuffed behind his back.

"What the hell is going on?" Mulder yelled. A big officer in a dark trenchcoat entered the room. "I'm Lieutenant Carlyle. You're both wanted for questioning in the murder of Dr. Sam Duncan. Read them their rights!"

"What!" Mulder looked astounded. "But why would you suspect us?"

Carlyle looked around, at the all too clear evidence of their sleeping arrangements, and sneered at him. "We checked you out on the police computer. You seem to be connected with a lot of unexplained deaths! Two in Florida, and in Washington: an unidentified creature ripped apart in New York. All of them vicious, violent homicides"

******

Later, at the police precinct, Mulder irritably shook his head. "You're accusing us of murdering the doctor with little or no real evidence. It's all circumstantial." He stared out of the dingy office window, at the rain.

The lieutenant flung down a set of crime scene photos. The body of the psychologist had been decapitated. Something had shredded the body, slicing into it repeatedly, so that blood spattered even across the ceiling. The torso was in tatters.

"I have a report here, Agent Mulder, of an incident that took place over a year ago, in your apartment in Washington. You and two of your colleagues were attacked by a group of armed men. Apparently they were ripped apart by someone with incredible strength. One was beheaded. Now isn't that a coincidence!"

"Yes, actually." Mulder shook his head tiredly. "That was Agent Lane. He's an expert in unarmed combat!"

"So I read. But I find it strange that such an inexperienced agent is so accomplished. The man has only six weeks of unarmed combat training, due to accelerated promotion on his F.B.I. course at Quantico. His records certainly don't show any other combat experience. A degree in Comparative Biology, and then a few years work as a librarian." Mulder blinked in surprise. He knew Kulain had faked his records, but the details implied a sense of humour which he didn't usually display, even to his partners. The detective continued, "Agent Lane is on his way here from Washington. Fortunately for him, his alibi is unbreakable. Unlike yours, Agent Mulder. You claimed to be in your hotel room with Agent Krycek the whole time." The Lieutenant leaned forward. "We have a witness, Agent Mulder, who claims to have seen your partner enter the apartment. Did you take the doctor's public humiliation of you as a personal attack?"

Mulder and Alex sat in the Lieutenant's office, after hours of questioning. He had released them, while his investigation continued, but plainly believed them guilty, and they were awaiting Kulain's arrival. "Tell me one thing, Agent Mulder. Why are you carrying round a book on demons?"

Mulder smiled softly. "Call it an on the job training manual!"

Carlyle glowered at him. "You're a real piece of work, Agent Mulder. Are you trying to convince me you believe that pile of crap?" There was a timely knock at the door.

"Agent Lane is here Sir." A young officer showed Kulain into the little office. Carlyle looked up from the report he was writing. And froze into immobility at the sight of Kulain. Their dark lover was dressed impeccably, with dark glasses covering his inhuman eyes. He seemed to find that more comfortable, on occasion, than pretending to be human. At the best of times, Kulain looked dangerous. Today, with concern for his partners motivating him, he positively exuded menace. Carlyle swallowed visibly.

Kulain didn't hesitate to denounce Carlyle's tactics. "My two colleagues are respected and valued operatives of the F.B.I. It's absurd to accuse them of murder. What proof have you got?" His tone was malevolent.

Carlyle visibly deflated under the tirade. He held up a hand wearily. "They're free to go, Agent Lane, for the moment. But I'll require them to be available for questioning later."

"That's not good enough!" Mulder spoke out unexpectedly, and three pairs of eyes fastened on him. "I want to examine the body for myself. Maybe we can help to solve your case, then we'll be able to prove our innocence."

"Alright!" Carlyle said. "I'll take you to the morgue. You can see the evidence for yourselves."

As he turned to make the call, Kulain idly picked up the little book on demons. He flicked through it with an amused expression on his face "Not always accurate, but some interesting ideas", he said softly. He placed the book down, open on the table and turned the page so that his two human partners could see the illustration. At least two hundred years old, and the drawing could have been done yesterday. It depicted Kulain's face perfectly. Mulder hastily shut the page as the Lieutenant turned back towards them.

********

The body, or what was left of it, was stretched out on a mortuary slab, covered, but still oddly misshapen. Alex swallowed when it was uncovered. Violent death he could handle, but the weird cases could still get to him.

"The body appears to have been mutilated after death, but while the blood was still liquid", said the Lieutenant.

Kulain regarded the misshapen head. "There is something I can do, Mulder, but you'd have to want answers very badly!" A flicker of some odd emotion crossed Kulain's face.

"If you can do anything, Kulain, please! They think we sneaked out of the hotel to kill him. They have no other suspects, so they desperately want to pin this case on us."

Kulain's eyes turned towards the Lieutenant. He drew off his dark glasses and watched the detective with demon eyes. Carlyle recoiled in disbelief. Mulder sensed Kulain's mood lift a little at the diversion. Then Kulain reached out towards the head of the corpse. He gripped the hair and lifted it, staring into the glassy eyes of the dead man. A momentary look of what could only be described as apprehension seemed to show in his face. It was gone in a heartbeat, before Mulder could even be sure he had seen it.

*Kulain knew how much of a risk he was taking, when he chose to perform the ancient ritual of raising a spirit. But without this, he feared that the laws of this world would condemn his lovers to the pain and misery of imprisonment. He decided the risk was worth it. He believed himself strong enough to withstand the call of the blood magic. The need that would come to him, take him over and demand that he rend, tear and butcher defenceless humans. The power of the dark side of his mind.*

*Death!*. Kulain called upon the ancient darkness. His voice, as he pronounced an incantation, took on an odd, sepulchural quality. The eyes of the corpse burst into blazing yellow fluorescence, and stared back at Kulain with venomous hatred.

"Kulain!" That terrible dead voice would haunt all of the humans, including a terrified Alex, until the end of time. "Why does the Dark Lord call me? What is it you want?" Carlyle made a whimpering noise somewhere in the background, Alex felt like joining him.

"I need to ask questions of this body"

"You call upon the ancient darkness!", the spirit hissed. "Then pay the price."

//You!//

Kulain remained immobile for long moments. "Ask your questions, Mulder," he said very quietly.

Mulder moved forward reluctantly, until he was facing the head. The cold fire died from the eyes, even as he moved. Then life and human intelligence flooded into them. Duncan immediately began to scream in terror and despair. "Be still!" Kulain shook his grisly trophy. He lifted the snivelling thing and stared into hopeless eyes. A look of fear crossed the things' bruised face. "Answer him!" Kulain growled.

Mulder nervously began his questioning. The whines of the thing gradually gave way to a stuttering and half incoherent account of the murder. How he had opened the door to Mulder, agreed to continue their debate, but then the man had altered his shape, and become something not quite human. Something that bled green... Its' voice trailed away. Kulain set the thing down again on the slab, and looked at the scared humans in front of him. Mulder was pale but composed. Alex was shivering, and looked ready to bolt. And the Lieutenant was gone. At some point during the interview, he had disgraced himself, and had fled, leaving a wet trail on the floor.

*Kulain felt the darkness begin to fill him, shot through with golden lightning*

The head began to glow again, and Duncan's voice raised in sudden dread. "No! It's coming for me!" And the most ghastly screaming Mulder or Alex had ever heard, burst out of it.

Alex finally cracked. He lunged forward, grabbing at Kulain's arms, pummelling him and screaming wildly at him. "Make it stop! Please! Make it dead again!"

Mulder saw that odd look, almost of pain, cross Kulain's face again, as he fielded Alex's desperate storm of emotion. What happened next was so unexpected that Mulder had no chance to react.

Kulain's hand drew back, and he slapped Alex explosively across the face. The younger man was flung backwards with the force of the blow, impacting against Mulder, knocking them both to the floor. Dazed, Alex lifted his head, his hand sliding up to his bruised mouth, staring incredulous, at the blood staining his fingers. Then the young man's face seemed to crumple, and he began to sob hopelessly at the betrayal of the being whom he idolised. Moving back, away from the lover who had just broken his heart, Mulder pulled his beloved Alex into his arms protectively, and glared at Kulain.

A blaze of ghastly yellow light suddenly engulfed the head of the corpse, burning incredibly bright, so that it was consumed to ash in seconds. Then the fire leapt, struck Kulain, momentarily engulfing him. Both humans heard the demon scream in torment. Then the fire was gone.

Kulain lifted his bowed head, stared at Mulder and smiled malevolently. And Mulder realised what had changed. Kulain's always-green eyes burned that same sickly yellow. He reached out stiffly, as if unused to the movements of his body, and dipped his fingers in the bloody fluids that had leaked from the head. Then he raised his hand and licked the vile mess with evident relish. Kulain raised his head and laughed contemptuously. Alex huddled in Mulder's arms, and watched Kulain from a tear stained face. Golden eyes moved dismissively over the two humans. With a chuckle, the being formerly known as Kulain moved towards the door. With a frown, the dark one adjusted it's new body, so that shimmering darkness cloaked it, and left, in search of the infernal pleasures so long denied it.

The two human lovers who Kulain had driven away, when he sensed the threat to them, clung to each other in misery and grief. Their dark angel had been possessed by evil, and neither of them knew how to bring him back safely.

***********

Chapter 2

********

"You should have gone to a doctor, Alex!" Mulder gently tended his lover's split lip. He looked sadly at the swollen and bruised flesh at one side of Alex's mouth.

"He could have healed it in a few seconds," Alex whispered.

Mulder grabbed Alex's shoulders and shook him. "He's gone! He dumped us and went off somewhere!" A familiar ache rose up inside him.

"No!" Alex sobbed in denial. "You heard him scream. I don't think he would deliberately hurt me. He just wanted me away from him." Mulder closed his eyes tiredly. The past week had been a living hell. Kulain had vanished, and left them in limbo. Both agents had been accused of murder, and further trouble had come, with the temporary disappearance of the detective in charge of the case, Carlyle. He had eventually been found, but claimed nervous exhaustion, and was off the case.

"When did I ever understand Kulain?" Mulder muttered under his breath. He was half convinced that Alex was right. That golden power had infected or possessed Kulain somehow. In a year and a half of their strange relationship, Kulain had never been deliberately cruel with either of his humans. Some time during that period of ecstasy, Alex had become dependent on his dark protector. As for himself, Mulder had surrendered some part of himself to Kulain long ago. Being without him was like having a part of his soul sheared away. He and Alex clung together for mutual comfort, but cracks were already appearing in their relationship. Kulain had been their stability. Mulder finally made a decision. "Alex. You've got to go back to New York. I want you to look into the murder. Try to find Kulain. I need to know if there's anything left of the person we knew."

Those emerald eyes seemed to look into his soul. And something Alex saw there made him feel a tiny flicker of hope. "Yeah, Foxy. Whatever you want. You've got a plan, haven't you?"

"There's something I can try. But it might not work! I'd rather we weren't together in case the Bureau decides to pick us up for questioning." He hugged the younger man. "Never forget how much I love you Alex!" Alex's arms tightened around him, and for a little while, that evening, the two agents grasped at the illusion of security, knowing how precarious their lives had become.

*******

Mulder had studied the little book on demonology for three straight days, and felt as if he could quote long passages verbatim. Despite the picture of Kulain in the small book, there was little written about him. But there was a ritual in the book designed to "open the gates of knowledge." If ever he needed knowledge, it was now! He just knew Alex would have laughed to see him sitting naked, cross legged in front of a chalk circle, burning a couple of candles and chanting foreign words. But he was under no illusions as to how dangerous demons could be.

He finished the ritual, and sat back on his heels expectantly. He wasn't disappointed. The air around him began to shimmer and a blue glow appeared. "Ask your question!" a low pitched, resonant voice spoke from the circle. "The price is a drop of your blood."

Mulder picked up a small paper knife and jabbed the point into his thumb. "How do I help Kulain?" he said, letting the blood drip down his fingers, into the circle.

Soft, malicious laughter. "Only one can help Kulain now. Amara! If she will!"

"Wait!" Mulder cried out, as the light began to fade.

"More blood!" it hissed. He complied. "You must enter the realm of Hell! She dwells in a place that can only be accessed through that Dominion."

Mulder let another drop of blood fall. "How do I get there?"

"Cross the circle!" came the reply. Aware that he was probably doing something supremely stupid, Mulder rose to his feet, and stepped over the fragile protection of the chalk circle. Agony blossomed in his cut hand, as //something// seized it and sucked at the wound. Then he was falling through //Forever//. The pain blazed up, and his fall continued into unconsciousness.

Mulder's head was aching. Awareness was slow to return. There was something wrong with the light, it shouldn't be blue! He groaned, then opened his eyes. And he flinched in dismay. Ash sat, less than a foot away from him, a lazy, contented smile on his face. The last time they had met, Ash had been screaming curses at him. The demon reached out a taloned hand and gently stroked Mulder's face. "So beautiful, but so foolish!" He gripped Mulder's cut thumb, raised it to his cut mouth and sucked it again. "You once offered yourself to me this way, Fox Mulder. Do you remember?"

"Yes!" Mulder retorted, "But you used trickery to get the offer." He jerked the hand away.

Amusement flashed into the demon's beguiling blue eyes. "You'll give me what I want willingly, Agent Mulder, because I have what you want. Knowledge of Amara!"

With a sinking feeling, Mulder realised that Ash was right. He didn't know how to find the being he sought. And he could see, in the shadows, demons watching him, drawn by the scent of blood. They were just waiting for him to leave the zone of Ash's protection. And many had that same ghastly yellow glow to their eyes. He knew instinctively that his death would be hideous, if they touched him.

Ash had Mulder in his power, and he would have his measure of revenge, before their transaction was over.

"Well?" Ash's voice was smoothly sensuous. "Will you leave and take your chances? Or accept my offer of protection until I can lead you to her?" He was evidently enjoying Mulder's distress.

Mulder felt desperate. To choose Ash, and his dark pleasures, and betray his partners, giving him his one hope of saving Kulain. Or to waste his life in a futile attempt to escape the lurking demons in the labyrinths of Hell.

With a resigned sigh, Fox Mulder closed his eyes and turned his face away from Ash, so that the demon wouldn't see the tears that trickled down his face. Offering himself. "Just get on with it," he whispered, "That way, it'll be over quickly."

Ash laughed in triumph. "Oh no, little human! Never quickly!" He reached out a long fingered hand and slid it along Mulder's naked back, then moved in closer to taste the human's skin. He had wanted this one for so long, he wasn't going to waste a moment of their time together. He let his touch range over the human's body, searching every inch of it for the sensitive places that would bring the most response from his young prize. Several times, he was rewarded by soft moans from the human. He was content, for the moment to let his body wake to lazy arousal. His pheromones would affect the human gradually, making his body and mind compliant and willing. And they did.

Mulder felt Ash's fingers touching him. He didn't want this, was so afraid of this. Yet those fingers began to win a response from his reluctant body. Hating himself, when the heat spread down to his betraying cock. Hearing Ash laugh in triumph. The demon's touch felt so good. No one was supposed to make him feel this good except his partner. Odd that he couldn't seem to remember who that was. Dreamily, he yielded himself up to the bliss of those caresses.

The human began to push his body back against the hand that was stroking his spine. Ash looked at the human's hugely erect cock, a sign of his desire. Eagerly then, Ash slid his fingers to the ravishing buttocks and , lubricating his hand, slipped one finger inside Mulder's body. The human bit back a scream, arching against Ash in total surrender. He worked on the human a little longer, until he judged that the time was right, then began to drive home his big penis. He didn't want to damage the human, this early in his conquest, time enough for that later. Much, much later. After all, human delicacies were quite rare in this place.

It had been quite a long time since Ash had been able to indulge his lusts, so his thrusts into the human were quite energetic and assertive. But he made sure that he worked the human up into a frenzy of need, before indulging him with an orgasm. He momentarily enjoyed the feeling of the body bucking and writhing beneath him, then howled in fulfilment as he shot his seed into the human's hot depths.

Mulder lay, sprawled on the floor, an utterly sated look on his face. Ash gently tilted the chin up to look into vacant eyes. A smile of adoration appeared on the beautiful face. Ash laughed in amusement. Did Mulder really think Ash would do anything to help Kulain. Much more pleasing to steal his lover's heart and soul. With Mulder close to him, filled with his essence, he probably wouldn't even remember his own name. Let alone remember who Kulain was. Chuckling to himself at the success of his deception, Ash once again reached for his adoring young lover, and drew his head down, it was time for Mulder to show exactly how talented he was with that delectable mouth.

*********

Alex was in trouble again. He had only been in New York two days and had made virtually no progress in his investigations. The only thing he had found out was that the Cigarette Smoking Man had been in town. Alex was beginning to suspect that his earlier uneasiness about the murdered man had been accurate. The good doctor had been used to set up the two of them. He could guess, now, exactly who it was, who was pulling the strings! That was when things went wrong. He had no warning when the police came, but they had been tipped off about his movements in the city. He found himself once again arrested, and taken in for questioning. A small drop of blood had been found at the crime scene, and matched to his DNA records which were held on a computer, by the F.B.I. So he must be guilty!

He was allowed one phone call, and desperately rang Mulder's apartment, and mobile phone. Nothing! It was as if his lover had disappeared off the face of the Earth! Eventually he got through to Scully, who promised to look for Mulder. He was still worrying when they came to take him to court. He sat, disbelieving, before a judge, and heard himself remanded into custody in the state penitentiary.

//Mulder where are you? I need you so much! I can't do without you, and Kulain!//

*********

*He hungered for the taste of hot blood between his lips. The feel of a sweet body beneath his as he bit into the warm neck. The hunt - running down the prey and slicing it into ribbons with his claws. But there was also the need for caution. There were other hunters in this place who could interfere with his fun. Yellow eyes watched from the shadows of an alleyway, as the two men exchanged money for white powder. Such transactions were common in this part of the city. A lunge forward, inhumanly fast, and he eviscerated one fool, his talons carrying forward the motion, to spear through the other prey's neck. Then catching the hot spurts of blood on his tongue, over far too soon to provide satisfaction. Searching then, until he found an abandoned building, resting there through the nauseating heat and light of the day. Until the time came to hunt again.*

********

Hazel eyes looked up at Ash in worship. He gestured for his human to position its' body, then with scant regard for its' comfort, drove himself into it, plundering the willing body again and again. Mulder was before him on hands and knees, eagerly accepting the invasion of his body. The human pushed himself back, meeting Ash's thrusts avidly. Lust burned in the demon as he watched the human's response. Then, once again, his hunger became too much, and he bit deep into the warm back, leaving a double set of teethmarks to scar the young body. His talons cut deep into the shoulders as he finally came, moments after the human. The brown eyes regarded him with hurt reproach. With a sigh, he reached out and healed the marks of his possession, he wanted to keep the human in good condition for as long as possible. But it would have been so much more fun to feel the blood running across his skin as he took Mulder again.

Mulder groaned in satisfaction as his lover's big cock slipped out of him. Ash always made him feel so good. He couldn't remember anything else ever feeling so right. The warmth of those arms, those fierce kisses that often drew blood, which Ash was quick to heal, the feel of the huge cock inside him. It was a paradise that filled his every waking moment. It was the dreams that haunted him. Strange, oddly familiar faces moving through his subconscious, two of them. Sometimes he dreamed that they were loving him, with a gentle passion, different to Ash's. Other times, terrible things flashed through his mind, monsters and violent men. When that happened, he huddled closer to Ash in the bed, shaking with fear. He tried to explain to Ash, but the demon had laughed dismissively. "Only dreams, little Fox. Let me give you something to help you forget." And in the protection of those arms, it was easy to drive away the nightmare.

*******

Alex was in trouble. Young, handsome, and in prison. Not an ideal situation to be in. Scully was doing her best to try and find the killer. He knew he could rely on her to do her best. But it was getting increasingly hard to watch his back in here. Somehow, it had become general knowledge that he was F.B.I. and several of the larger, meaner, inmates were beginning to cast covetous looks his way. He was under no illusion as to what they wanted. If he had to, he could use his demon given abilities to defend himself, a swipe of a taloned hand would be just as effective as a knife. But if he did that, he would give the police the final piece of evidence they needed to put him on death row.

He lay on his side that night, facing the wall so that his cellmate wouldn't suspect his tears. And he cried silently into the pillow.

//Mulder! Where are you? Why have you left me alone? Please come back to me, I love you so much. Mulder, I need your arms around me so much//.

And a finger of ice seemed to slide into his brain, familiar and haunting. A coolness spreading like a sedative into his brain, sending him tumbling into sleep. And at the edge of his consciousness, words. *CALL TO HIM*.

********

That night was worse than any other. Ash had left Mulder alone, dealing with some trifling problem among his minions. Lonely and aching with desire, he finally slipped into a restless dream. It started innocently enough. A young man lay sleeping on a narrow bed. He moved restlessly, and the sweet face distorted in anguish. "No!" The stranger jerked awake, tears streaming down his face. An apprehensive glance at his cellmate, to see if the nightmare had disturbed him. It hadn't. Intensely green eyes filled with misery, and the young man buried his face in his pillow, chest heaving as grief consumed him. Mulder felt a wave of pity for the stranger, he looked so vulnerable and lost. He wanted to reach out, and draw the shaking body into his arms, and soothe away the hurt. "Mulder!" The young man whispered, "Come back to me. Please!" He lifted his arms into the night, towards Mulder. Who jerked awake, shaking with a fear he couldn't explain. A sense of //wrongness// that was almost overwhelming. Ash would come back soon. Mulder would beg to be held, to be given the bittersweet consolation of Ash's cruel desire. He would forget a pair of utterly green eyes begging him for something he couldn't quite understand. Wouldn't he?

Ash was in a foul temper when he returned from his errand. Mulder took one look at him and decided to wait until later to speak with his lover. Ash grinned nastily when he saw the lowered eyes and carefully neutral expression on his little human's face. He moved towards Mulder and caught hold of him, ignoring the whimpers the human made. He gestured to the human to prepare himself, and ruthlessly used him, to get rid of his frustration. Leaving Mulder crying, he left again afterwards. He was growing tired of the human now anyway. Time to lure another unsuspecting prey into his power.

Huddled on his hands and knees, even after Ash had finished, Mulder bowed his head in despair. When had everything gone wrong? Was it his fault? Ash tended to hurt him more and more often now. He twisted awkwardly to look at the scars his lover had left. At least a dozen bite marks on his back and shoulders, bruises, long deep scars left by his talons in the heat of passion, along Mulder's flanks. He frowned in puzzlement, momentarily jolted out of his misery, by something inexplicable. He could remember every bite and scratch, but he couldn't remember how he had come by the recently healed, long curving scar across the ball of his thumb. His mind, always naturally investigative, began to worry at the problem. It looked like it had been made by a knife, though not a particularly sharp one. On his left thumb, as if made by something held in his right hand. Was it possible that he had done it himself? But where and when? Obviously, before Ash had been his lover. He stopped, then at the incongruity of the thought. Hadn't Ash always been his lover?

*No!*

His instincts screamed out at the thought. Then was it possible that the man he had seen in his dreams was real?

*Yes!*

**Alex! My love!**

It was as if that thought opened the floodgates, and memory came flooding back. He was in Ash's power, and the demon had promised to take him to... Amara, if Mulder had sex with him. That was the last coherent thought Mulder could remember before today. He stared again at his thumb. He had cut it on the day he had performed the ritual, and it looked as if it had been healed for many weeks. How long had he been here? The raging anger washed away the last of his docility.

******

Alex woke the next morning feeling as if his head was about to split open. He had an incredibly blinding headache, and he just wanted to curl up and die. Quickly if possible. There was no chance of that. He and the other prisoners worked on the prison land every day except Sunday; the warden being a pious man allowed them that much rest. He dragged his reluctant body upwards and tried to ignore the pain as he performed his morning cleaning rituals. Gradually, it seemed to ease a little, which was a relief, as the hot sun beating down on his back would surely not do him any favours in the fields.

He was right, the sun did aggravate his headache again. Which was probably why he was so careless. Why during his rest period, he stupidly forgot to check behind him as he leaned against the trailer. Two pairs of strong arms seized him , and he was yanked backwards, behind the trailer, out of sight of the patrolling guards. A cool blade was pressed against his neck.

"Shall we kill you, G man? Or maybe there's something you can do to please us. To make us let you go, maybe just a bit damaged." The knife drew back a little. Incredibly fast, Alex felt himself //shift//, and let the surge of fire inside him take over from the fear. Green adamantine talons took out the thug's throat in a single swipe, the knife fell to the ground. The second heavy stared in disbelief and gave a yell of terror. Then Alex lunged forward, his need for revenge against all the indignities that had been forced upon him, was almost overwhelming. He punched the thug, breaking his jaw shatteringly. But some fragment of humanity stopped him from following up on the attack

//Too long living with Mulder!//

Alex heard the yells of the prison guards, and realised what he had done. Appalled, he took the only course open to him, and lunged at the prison fence. His claws cut through it like butter. Then he was running, desperate to escape. Knowing that if he was caught again, he had signed his own death warrant.

Several of the guards began to shoot at him, though by this time he had put some distance between himself and the fence. When it came, the agonising fire that exploded in his back and chest was totally unexpected. Spinning him round, and knocking him to the ground. He gaped at the exit wound, inches across, in his upper chest. But somehow, the inhuman strength was still there, and he managed to pick himself up, and keep on running, clutching at his chest to vainly try and stop the bleeding.

*******

Ash returned many hours later, eager for a return encounter with Mulder. Perhaps he would keep the little human around a while longer. There were still areas to be explored in the human's tolerance for pain. He was still so innocent in that area. The thought sent a rush of blood to Ash's cock. He could think of something delightful to do already. He stopped, nonplussed. Mulder had made a makeshift robe out of some lush fabric, and had clothed his previously long-naked body. Brown eyes glared at Ash in burning hatred.

"You son of a bitch! How long were you going to keep me here as your sex toy? Make me forget about finding Amara? Well, you've had everything you're going to get from me. I won't let you touch me again!"

Ash moved forward, astonished. He hadn't suspected how resilient the human was. He wouldn't err again. Mulder backed away as Ash moved towards him. But even he didn't have the reflexes to match a demon. One hand shot out to grab Mulder's wrist, the other slashed across the human's face, lacerating Mulder's cheek. Mulder's other hand had been hidden behind him, and he unexpectedly swung at Ash, who laughed. Mulder's puny human strength was no match for him. Then he saw, too late, what Mulder held, concealed, in his hand. The steel knife Mulder had found when he searched the place. It sliced in an arc across Ash's throat, and slit it wide open. With a hiss of disbelief, the demon toppled backwards, and lay still on the floor, his glowing blue eyes dimming into darkness.

Smaller demons boiled out of the crevices around the cavern, leaping onto the body in a feeding frenzy. Backing away while they were distracted, Mulder turned and ran. He could at least die trying to find his goal. Better that than surrendering himself again. As he ran through miles of narrow twisting tunnels though, he was unaware of the instinct, cool as ice, that drew him always to take the left hand passageways. Finally, he emerged from the darkness, into a vast, almost familiar cavern, filled with the most awesome sight he had ever seen. A mile high, spinning, black diamond shape filling half the cavern. He stopped, dizzy and inexplicably exhilarated by the sight, and tried to catch his breath. He swiped at his aching cheek, and blinked as his fingers came away wet with blood. He realised how much danger he was in then, the demons would scent the blood and come for him.

He continued to descend towards the great diamond, instinctively. It seemed to be pulling him, and he didn't have anywhere else better to go at the moment. It was quite a long way to the base of the shape, and Mulder was beginning to tire, long before he reached it. He didn't know why it was so important to go on, but he had to make it there. The cool pull went on.

*******

The Cigarette Smoking Man stared, astonished, at the ruin Alex Krycek had left of the thug. What a weapon he would make! If the truth be known, the thug was his agent, who had been ordered to hurt and humiliate the young agent. The other one of his men was terrified, and indicated how Alex had changed into a monster before he had escaped. Of course, he had to write it down, as his jaw was a ruin. The most interesting news was that the sheriff had found a lot of blood, indicating that Krycek had been shot. The Cigarette Smoking Man's men began combing the area, trying to capture Krycek, before the authorities. The drop of Krycek's blood his associate had left at the doctor's office had been a stroke of genius.

*******

Alex could hear the dogs, getting closer, somewhere behind him. He was weakening rapidly now. It was becoming so hard to set one foot in front of the other. He stumbled and fell to his knees. The dull ache in his chest made it so hard to breathe, each time he sucked in air, it was like breathing white hot flame. His strength was gone, he couldn't even gather the energy to stand up. Then ice cold frost seemed to touch him, for a second, blissfully counteracting the pain. A voice, gravelly and strong, echoed inside his head.

*TRUST ME. STEP FORWARD INTO THE LIGHT*

Alex screamed. Each word was clearly inserted into his head, precise and cool. And it felt like a knife ripping into his mind. The human brain had never been designed to interact so closely with that awesome, icy power, so its words caused profound agony to Alex. Blood began to trickle from his nose and ears. Again the torment of that voice.

*ENTER THE GATE!*

The air in front of Alex thickened, and a gaping rift in reality hung suspended in the air, in front of him. The dogs were very close now. In desperation, Alex dragged his pain filled body towards the rift, and began to step through it. The deputies burst into the clearing, and recoiled in terror. Alex's strength gave out, and he fell, unfeeling, into the light.

*******

Mulder had reached the base of the Sith. He didn't know how, but the name of it was there, inside his head. Where the shape met the floor of the great cavern, was a shimmering rainbow rift, leading... Somewhere. Or perhaps everywhere. Mulder irresistibly went up to it. A way out! Or perhaps a way to end his present misery. Body and mind beginning to go into shock at the abuse he had suffered, he stepped through it.

//Emergence//.

The place the human found himself in wasn't hell, at any rate. He was high above what had once been a vast and beautiful city, before some long ago catastrophe had made it fall into flame scarred ruins, half overgrown with vegetation. With nowhere to go, Mulder listlessly sank to the ground, watching the colours play across the surface of the rift. Darkness flared inside the fissure, and incredibly, a figure emerged. A familiar, beloved body, falling through it, landing on the ground next to it, and lying unmoving in a broken heap.

He didn't remember crossing the space separating them, but then Alex was cradled in his arms. His hands pressed vainly against the large wound in the chest, feeling the faltering, diminishing breaths. He leaned down, sobbing, to kiss the dying man's forehead, then a barrier in his mind seemed to give way, and flinging back his head, he howled his pain and despair to the skies.

"There's really no need for that!". The voice was filled with patient amusement. Tortured eyes lifted, to see a small woman with albino pale hair, watching him closely. She smiled at him then, and there was such kindness in her face that he couldn't lash out in pain, though he wanted to. Small fingers reached out to touch his bloody cheek, and the lacerations were just gone!

Mulder stared with awe and dawning hope. She touched Alex. A familiar glow, like the times Kulain had healed. It was like a wave rushing out from her hand, causing skin, bone and muscle to heal itself impossibly fast. He felt the body in his arms come back to life. Colour flooded back into Alex's white face, and green eyes opened, hesitant and vulnerable. Mulder buried his face in Alex's hair, tightened his arms around the young man, and sobbed his name.

"Oh, Alex love. I thought I'd lost you!"

Alex clung to the reassurance of those familiar arms around him. He returned the embrace, then lifted his head to look at Mulder. The older man looked exhausted, and his eyes were haunted. Long parallel scars ran down his cheek. And he appeared to be dressed in a curtain!

Alex laughed tenderly, and saw a delightful look of consternation on the beloved face. "Time seems to have affected your dress sense, Foxy!" He grinned at his lover, and Mulder returned the smile uncertainly, as though he had forgotten such a thing as humour had ever existed.

Both men turned to their saviour. The small woman was smiling at them, as though she knew exactly what they were thinking and feeling. She shook her head at the foolishness of young men. "I suppose you'd better come with me down to the Tower. Having the gate nexus here is so inconvenient!" She frowned. "You can tell me why you're the first visitor to Kavala for a thousand years and more. Then perhaps I can get rid of you!" Her eyes sparkled with good humour, taking the sting out of the words.

And the small goddess offered her guests the hospitality of her home, amidst the ruins of the city she had founded, countless millennia before.

********

Chapter 3

*********

*He hunted eagerly in the night, seeking the heat of blood between his claws, the wildly bewitching feel of the chase. The best prey were young, strong hunters themselves. Already, they were beginning to whisper about him in the streets. The Dark Huntsman, who stalked the city, taking only the careless and foolhardy. And yet something inside him searched for a pair of challenging brown eyes and their sweet, green companions.*

********

Less than an hour ago, Fox Mulder and his lover Alex Krycek had been fighting for their lives against their many enemies. Now there was rescue of a kind, and a respite, in which both men could take stock of their situation.

The little woman had showed them into a strangely exotic room, decorated in plain but good taste, mostly using natural materials. A large, luxurious bed occupied one room, and to Alex's delight, the neighbouring chamber contained a large pool instead of a bath. The water seemed to be heated by a hot spring and the water trickled through the room in a comforting chuckle. Grinning with delight, the younger man rapidly stripped off his clothes, and dived into the shoulder deep water. Laughing, he surfaced, and called to his lover, "Hey Foxy, you gotta try this, our own hot spring! Very Japanese!"

Mulder closed his eyes and turned away in torment. He loved Alex so much, but how could he admit what he had done for the past few weeks. What Alex would see marking his body, the moment he took his makeshift robe off. He fled into the bedroom, and ended up on the bed, huddled up, trying not to think about it. Alex would feel disgust. And rightly so. He had been so stupid, letting Ash near him. The tears began then, hot betraying tears that began to soak into the covers beneath his cheek.

"Foxy?" Alex's voice was filled with gentle concern. The younger man reached out with his hand, to pull Mulder against him. "You don't need to worry. Really! I'm not planning to die just yet!"

The feel of a hand against his shoulder.

//Ash, grabbing at his shoulder and pulling him down, then making him...//

Mulder screamed. With all his strength, he lashed out at the intruding hand, and flung himself away from Alex. He fell over the side of the bed, then fled on hands and knees, curling up in a foetal position in the corner, hands defensively over his face.

Alex stared at him, hand still outstretched. Very slowly, the younger man sank down onto the bed, not making a move towards him. Green eyes were filled with loving anxiety. Slowly, as Alex made no move to approach him, Mulder began to uncurl his body. The terror began to recede. And with it, the gut clenching panic he had felt when he was touched. Even after his death, Ash was still playing games with Mulder's mind. Or that's how it felt.

"I guess we need to talk", Mulder whispered to Alex. His throat felt hoarse, as if he had been screaming for hours.

"Yeah Foxy." Alex leaned forward on the bed, until he was resting his elbows on the top of it, propping his chin up. "I didn't mean to scare you like that." He kept his voice very low and soothing. "I guess you've had a hard time of it lately."

"You could say that!" Mulder sounded shaky. He wanted to laugh at the unintentional double entendre, but he felt too close to crying. Slowly his body began to uncurl. "May as well get it over with!" And he stripped off the stupid rag he had been wearing. He slowly turned his back to Alex so his lover could see the depths of his betrayal, and closed his eyes, waiting for condemnation.

Alex drew in his breath in shock. Mulder's back was a mass of bite and scratch scars, overlain by bruises old and new. "What happened?" Again that unexpected compassion in the beloved voice.

"Ash!" The name was so hard to get out. "I let him do it! I had to find help for Kulain. But he wouldn't stop.... He messed with my head and I don't know whether I'll ever feel clean again!" His voice had risen to a wail of despair. He buried his head in his hands and cried. A hand reached tentatively towards him, and tangled itself up with his. He gripped Alex's hand like a lifeline, then flung himself desperately into the welcoming arms, and quietly, hopelessly, cried.

The storm of tears gradually calmed, as exhaustion caught up with Mulder. Eventually he slept, still curled up tightly, head resting against Alex's chest. The younger man stroked his hair gently, comfortingly, as he slept. Alex wasn't used to Mulder feeling so vulnerable, so fragile. He felt a cold hatred for the being who had so hurt his lover.

Mulder woke just after dawn. His head felt fuzzy, as if it was full of cotton wool, and there was a dull ache behind his eyes that had probably been caused by too much crying, last night. Carefully, he slipped out of the bed, away from the warmth of Alex's arms. He should have known Alex would always support him, but right now he couldn't seem to think straight. He needed to be alone. To try and sort out the confusion in his head. He was halfway down the ruinous street, before it occurred to him that maybe clothes would be a good idea! His body had grown accustomed to nudity, in Ash's company, and the climate here verged on the tropical anyway. He re-entered the tower.

Laughter echoed through the marble halls.

Mulder turned, and found himself face to face with Amara. She gave him a disturbingly appreciative look, then gestured with her hand to a small room off the main corridor, that proved to be full of strange artefacts. It included, to his relief, a number of vaguely tasteless coveralls. Orange wasn't exactly his colour. Still. Better than being naked. Less... exposed.

Amara smiled at him when he emerged, and beckoned for him to follow her. She led him down a number of passageways, and they entered a small, beautiful garden, overlooking the ancient ruins below.

He sat next to her, just enjoying the scene, for a while. Kind eyes watched him. It was strange, but in her company he felt a kind of peace, as if nothing could hurt him in that place. Her hand reached out then, and brushed aside the tousled hair that was falling into his eyes.

"Who are you really?" Mulder needed to know the answer to that question, before he could completely trust her.

Silence.

"I have many names, Fox Mulder. But I think you know who I am."

"Ash was afraid of you!" Mulder lowered his eyes briefly. "I read a book on demons that mentioned a bright lady, most dangerous of all demonkind. I think I believe it now!"

"I will not harm anything of Kulain's." Her tone was firm and reassuring.

"Can you help him?" A half-despairing plea.

"If I wished to. But you know everything has it's price with us!"

Mulder suddenly tensed, terrible, haunted eyes stared at her.

Delicate laughter. "You're the wrong sex to interest me, Fox Mulder, but your loyalty to Kulain is impressive. I plan to claim a favour from Kulain after I aid him." She rose. "Stay here if you wish. I find it a calming place." And she left, small, graceful and sweetly beautiful. And utterly deadly.

*******

Alex woke alone. When he realised it, he ran into the pool room, then outside, looking for Mulder. But the agent was nowhere to be seen.

"It's alright." Amara walked towards him. "He just needs some time on his own."

"Where is he? I've got to go to him."

And suddenly, he couldn't move. His body was frozen and he couldn't even turn his head. Silver eyes gleamed with light.

"You don't listen, Alex Krycek!" A small movement of her hand, and his legs folded under him; he found himself sitting cross legged on the floor in front of her. A long fingered hand tilted his chin upwards. "I can heal your partner's body Alex, but not his mind. Do you not understand how close he is to insanity right now? I can see into his mind so I know this." She saw from his anxious expression that she was understood. "He needs Kulain more than you can ever know. They exchanged more than just kisses when Kulain entered your world, they hold half of each other's souls. One suffers without the other.

Seeing the forlorn look in his eyes, she smiled. "And he gave the other half of his soul to you, Alex Krycek. So what has he left for himself?"

******

Mulder wandered back to the pool room, hours later. He felt slightly better. There was a little hope now, more than he had felt last night. Stripping off the stupid orange thing, he dived into the blissfully hot water, swum strongly into the middle of the pool, and floated, relaxed, on his back. The pleasure of the heat sinking into his body made him feel drowsy and vaguely aroused.

"Hi, Foxy." Alex sat on the edge of the pool. Mulder smiled sleepily, drifted towards his partner, and reached his hand out to hold Alex's. Amara was right, Alex realised, Mulder's reactions were subtly wrong, too controlled and serene for a trauma victim. He could vouch for that. Mulder was repressing whatever had happened to him.

"C'mon, Foxy, I've got us something good to eat." Mulder grinned and unexpectedly yanked on Alex's arm. The younger man squawked as he toppled into the pool. Then Mulder grabbed him and kissed him with a fierceness that took his breath away.

"I need you Alex. Tonight. Make me forget!"

********

Alex was very gentle. Featherlight kisses brushed Mulder's face and neck. Alex began to stray downwards with his mouth and fingertips, when he felt Mulder beginning to stir in arousal. Mulder moaned, as the younger man worked him up into a fire of sexual desire. He reached up, and pulled Alex's head down towards his cock. Alex obligingly ran his tongue along the length of Mulder's erection, from tip to base, then his fingers began to explore the sensitive skin of his lover's balls and perineum. He heard Mulder's breathing quicken, and taking the head of Mulder's cock in his mouth, sucked hard, evoking a wild scream. Mulder's hips lifted from the bed, his body arching against Alex. The younger man maintained the rhythm of his mouth, which was triggering such a response in his lover, and gradually stepped up the pace of his movements. He slid a finger slowly down between Mulder's buttocks, to tease him open.

He felt Mulder moan, his hips thrust upwards again, and glanced at his lover's face. Which was white and panicked. His fists were clenched so tightly at his side that fingernails drew blood from his palms. And yet his body's sexual response betrayed him. Shocked, the younger man stopped what he was doing, and moved up Mulder's body so he could look into hazel eyes.

"Foxy?"

"Don't!" A whimper. "Just don't touch me there. Please!"

"Foxy, do you want me to stop? I'll do anything you want!" Alex felt stricken. Brown eyes looked vulnerable and confused. A finger slid up towards Alex's mouth, slipped between his parted lips, let itself be sucked softly, and gently tugged on his bottom lip.

"Just this tonight, Alex. Please!"

So Alex proceeded to give the slowest, longest and most erotic blowjob he had ever given in his life. After which Mulder cried softly in his arms. His body sated, but needing something more than Alex could give him, to fill the emptiness inside his mind.

They were still lying, entwined in each others arms the next morning, when Amara walked in. She grinned at the astonished humans. "Time to go, boys! The gate is up and running."

In a rush, Alex pulled on the clothes she had brought him, and found himself wearing another awful set of coveralls, this one in daffodil yellow! He and Mulder caught sight of each other at almost the same time.

"Shit!" Alex burst out. But the sudden, rare laughter in Mulder's face was worth the discomfort to his eyes. Still smirking, he linked arms with Alex, and the two of them followed Amara up the hill to the gate.

*******

It shimmered an intense blue-green colour. "Step through," Amara said. Alex put his arm reassuringly round Mulder's waist.

"Together, Foxy!" Mulder tentatively returned his smile, leaned against him, and they stepped back into their own world.

Following them, Amara paused on the brink of the gate. She contemplated the home she had made for herself over a millennium ago. And sighed. The temptation was, as always, too great. Just this once, *Again*, she would indulge herself in her greatest passion, the exhilarating rapture of using the ultimate power. She reached out and //tapped// the energy of the gate. Power raged through her body, beginning to alter the matter in it to transparent energy.

//Lightning// speared down from her hand into the ground beneath her, ripping a channel into the core of the world. Holding phenomenal energies at bay with her mind, she released the gate energy in a blast that surged outwards from her, across the face of the world. Then //released// the core tap, //feeling// the imbalance tilt the world towards oblivion. She stepped through the gate, and the useless world shattered, satisfyingly, behind her. Its destruction would be witnessed as an unexplained supernova, 500 years later, on Earth. An instruction to Sith sealed the gateway of that world forever. She sighed, in the aftermath of the sexual release annihilation brought.

So walks the Destroyer of Worlds.

Amara looked flushed and happy, when she followed the two humans out of the rift, in, of all places, Fox Mulder's apartment. The rift sealed itself in fiery incandescence, moments later.

Mulder picked up the phone and dialled Scully's number. After a few rings, it was answered.

"Scully?"

A gasp. "Mulder? Is that you?"

"Yeah! I'm at my apartment with Alex. I need you to bring Skinner to meet with us. "

"We'll be there in an hour. He's been as worried about you as I have." She sounded relieved. "Good to hear your voice, Mulder."

*******

Alex squeezed Mulder's shoulder. "Go get changed, love. You need to meet Skinner in something better than orange!" Mulder raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. I know. Me too!"

Mulder changed into a t-shirt and jeans, and sat on the couch, leaning his head back. Letting his mind drift. Amara was poking, with a bemused expression at something dubious in a corner of his fridge. He let his thoughts wander aimlessly, then drowsily felt his mind being pulled along, like a piece of wood drifting in a stream. Amara lifted her head to stare at him with silver-grey eyes.

*He was floating along a dark alleyway, suspended about six feet above the ground. He reached out his hand towards the distant street lights, and saw the light gleam on his long, green talons. There was movement at the end of the alley, and he moved, swift and silent, towards it. A flash of talons arching downwards, and hot blood spurting, a hot iron flavour, gushing...*

With a cry of horror, he awoke. Alex was sitting next to him, gripping his shoulders, shaking him and screaming his name. When he saw the life return to Mulder's eyes he breathed a sigh of relief. Amara withdrew her hand from his forehead, her touch almost a light caress. Scully and Skinner were standing in the doorway, evidently perplexed and alarmed by his behaviour.

"What happened?" Mulder felt bewildered, yet at the same time, something inside him felt oddly hungry, craving something he didn't know he had lost.

Amara looked amused. "Your mind touched Kulain's for a moment. He is quite close now. His need draws him towards you, and he would follow you half way across this world. You wanted a way to track Kulain, Alex. Well now you have it. Mulder could track Kulain with his eyes shut!"

Skinner felt annoyed by the things Mulder and Krycek tried to tell him. He had known what Kulain was for a long time, and was not above taking advantage of the fact. Kulain had accepted this as part of the price he must pay to live with his lovers. But to tell Skinner that his operative was killing for pleasure, even if he was ill. He couldn't condone anything so evil or morally repulsive. But he would help to capture Kulain, if only for public safety. Scully just looked worried for her former partner. She knew him so well after years of working together, and she could tell that Mulder's problems were far greater than he was admitting.

Amara enjoyed getting the upper hand in the discussion. She merely looked at Mulder, after Alex and the other two agents had discussed all the possibilities. "Do you want to find him?" Mulder nodded. "Then trust me and close your eyes." Mulder grimaced. He wasn't sure whether he had any trust left to give. But the need inside him, the craving for a certain body against his, for a certain kind of oblivion... His eyelids slid shut.

Ice seemed to mingle with Mulder's blood, from the cool fingers touching his skin, words of instruction filling his mind. It was as if he was doubly aware, both of his surroundings, and a dark place down on the city streets. He rose to his feet and walked to the door. Wide, strangely indifferent eyes swept past the two humans. He looked as if he were in a trance, but he barked out a stiff order for them to follow, and ran down the stairs.

Mulder took off, in a long striding, loping run, pulled by the trace of Kulain's presence, like fire in his mind. Alex followed him, shifting slightly to tap into the welcome inhuman strength. They were joined a moment later by the small, but lithe Amara. All three were moving at a pace faster than humans could easily maintain. It was Alex's first clue that Mulder had been affected by Kulain as much as he had. Scully and Skinner followed in their cars.

Touching Kulain's mind was both frustrating and exhilarating for Mulder. He could feel new strength in his veins, but also the terrible darkness that had invaded his lover. With his new terror of cruelty, it scared him so much. Tracking the dark spot in his mind was easier than he had anticipated. He ran, following the *need* to its conclusion, and faster than he would have believed possible, he slowed, seeing movement ahead, in the night. Slowly, he moved forward, about half a minute ahead of Alex.

Something snarled, pitiless and bloodthirsty, then, faster than he could react, a dark figure lunged at him out of the night, and bowled him over, so that he crashed to the alley floor, a weight settling on his chest. Golden eyes. A momentary feeling of deja vu filled his mind, accompanying the fear, breaking the trance. He saw the talons poised to strike, and a shard of pain seemed to penetrate his heart. Not physical damage, but the sight of the being he loved so wanting to hurt him. A tear ran down his cheek, and he turned his head, so that the claws could access his neck more easily. He wanted the pain of weeks and months to end now. Nothing mattered any more, not even Alex. The claws raised to strike, He wanted to close his eyes then, so he wouldn't see the downstroke. But some part of him wanted to see the beloved face one last time before the end. The talons arched down, and hesitated... Kulain's head moved forward into the light, and he shook his head, as though his vision was impaired. A golden eyed gaze met Mulder's, then Kulain's lips lowered to lick at Mulder's neck, and he felt the sharpness of teeth grazing his skin.

//OH NO! NOT THAT. NOT FROM YOU. NOT BLOOD*SEX*BRUTALITY. PLEASE//

"No!" A scream from Alex, and the demon's head jerked up. The night filled with white fire, blazing in strands through the air, wrapping round the demon, tightening around his arms and legs, even as he turned to flee. The light changed, became something else, matter condensing from energy, enfolding Kulain in strange restraints, bringing him to his knees. Like cuffing a suspect in a way. Amara walked forward to inspect her catch. She caught hold of the dark hair of the kneeling demon, and jerked his head up. "You have been busy, haven't you, Kulain!" He snarled, and fought wildly against his bonds. She pressed her hand to the centre of Kulain's forehead and again that white fire blazed around her hand. This time even Mulder and Alex felt a shock of fire blaze inside them for a moment, through their link with Kulain. The golden poison was driven from Kulain's body, even as the two other agents arrived on the scene. Mulder felt it go, that nauseating filth that had held their lives hostage. A dark head fell forward, eyes not yellow, but not green either, just a dull, unrelieved black.

Mulder felt empty. He ignored Alex's outstretched hand, moved forward to stand next to Amara, and pulled out the switchblade he had concealed in his pocket. He saw Alex lunge forward, suddenly desperate, as he saw Mulder press the blade against his wrist. And Amara caught hold of him, holding him away. She at least understood. Then blood began to gush from the cut. He pressed his wrist against Kulain's mouth, and the demon began to drink. As the blood flowed from him, it seemed to be filling up that empty place in his mind as well. By the time the demon drew away, Mulder was swaying on his feet, face grey. He leaned forward and bit into the fold of skin at the base of Kulain's neck, and eagerly lapped the dark blood that flowed there. Skinner and Scully were watching him in disbelief, too far away to stop him in time. The instinct that had made him act so strangely finally became appeased. The need to //anchor// Kulain to him, and to feel the hot intimacy of their blood mingling. Pulling away from Kulain, he turned to the three humans, more or less sane again, and his own eyes momentarily gleamed with slit-pupilled satisfaction, before he fainted.

********

Alex sighed as he looked at his lover, asleep in the hospital room. Scully had insisted on a full range of checkups, muttering something about cross infection, and of course, his wrist had to be stitched up. Amara had warned him that Mulder was living close to the edge, but he hadn't thought Mulder would really act on his feelings like that. Dark eyes opened, and he moved to sit on the side of the bed, reaching out to stroke the pale face gently. "How do you feel Foxy?" Alex tried to project reassurance, and love.

Mulder looked suddenly amused at Alex's careful tone. "I'm not going to kill myself, Alex! It wasn't about that. Didn't Amara tell you?" Alex looked blankly at him. "Kulain's linked to me, we've always known that. She thinks an act of intimacy would bring his mind back to us." A trace of exhilaration showed in his eyes.

"Since when was sucking each others blood an act of intimacy, Mulder! How the hell could you do that? Maybe it's better if you stay in the hospital, if that's what your mind is conjuring up!" Alex growled the words. "His mind is gone, and there's nothing we can do to bring it back." His own pain made him hit out at Mulder. He walked out of the room, before he could say something he would regret even more. The last thing Alex saw was a slow tear creeping down Mulder's cheek as he stared after his lover.

*******

Weeks of psychological testing followed, both for Mulder, and for Kulain, who were both in protective custody in the hospital, thanks to Skinner. Mulder wouldn't, couldn't admit to his own traumatic experiences with Ash, and his depression continued. And Kulain was totally unresponsive, impassive, emotionless; the doctors couldn't find out how to fix his mind, and if Amara knew, she wasn't saying. Kulain was kept apart from Mulder for six weeks in all. No one wanted a repeat of Mulder's suicidal inclinations. Finally, one Spring morning, Mulder took things into his own hands, and stole the pass key to Kulain's room.

******

Mulder stared at his former lover through the observation hatch. Kulain was sitting on a narrow, built in bench at one end of the cell. He had his wrists imprisoned behind him, in Amara's strange restraints, and he was leaning his head back against the wall.

Mulder opened the cell door, and walked in. Dark eyes, vacant of personality and life seemed to suck the warmth out of the air around them. Such a distant, inhuman look. Mulder moved towards Kulain, and cautiously sat on one end of the bench, he didn't look at Kulain. Mulder couldn't face the ruin his life had become without Kulain or Alex. Not yet.

"I had to come and see you Kulain. I've been so worried about you." Well it was a start. He took a deep breath and went on. "I went looking for someone to help you." The hot tears started to flow. "Ash got me! He hurt me so much!" Push past that memory.

His hands fumbled at his collar and he pulled open his shirt, slipping it onto the floor. He turned so that unfathomable, dark eyes could see the terrible scars. A penance for his betrayal. Then irresistibly, knowing how dangerous Kulain was at the moment, but no longer caring, he moved closer. He slid his hand up across the familiar chest. Kulain didn't move. So tentatively, Mulder leaned forward and kissed the full lips, pouring out all his love and despair in a single gesture. No response. Not at first. With a sinking heart, he started to move away, then his eyes saw the erection that had begun to rise in Kulain's lap.

The need to reach out was overwhelming. He slipped to his knees before Kulain, and awkwardly unfastened his zipper. Then he lowered his lips to the tip of the swelling cock, and began to lick and suck it. His fist closed over the base of it, and he began to squeeze in a rhythm matching the motion of his mouth. A glance at Kulain's face told him that Kulain's face was no longer blank. A look of ecstasy was displayed on the strong face. The demon threw back his head, gasping. Then Mulder swallowed as much of Kulain's erection as he could, and his lover arched against him, coming hard, shooting semen into the back of Mulder's throat.

Moaning himself, Mulder felt his own body reacting to the closeness of his lover. Overpowered by his desperate need, he flung his arms around the hard muscled torso, his head against the warmth of Kulain's body. He was lost. This was what his body and soul had desired for so long. Maybe he was suicidal, for without Kulain, he wanted to die. He sobbed softly into the soft fabric against his face. Then, he surrendered to the demands of his own treacherous body. Pulling off the rest of his clothing, he sank on hands and knees before Kulain, offering willingly what Ash had taken so often, and so cruelly. Hoping for some part of oblivion.

"No!" A voice so creaking and disused that it was barely understandable. "Do you think I would hurt you like that?" Mulder raised his eyes from his lowered position. "Never, little Fox!" Kulain moved closer, eyes deepening in colour, to a glowing green. He kissed Mulder, kneeling next to him, and looked sadly at him. "I'm sorry. I can't hold you." He indicated his bound wrists.

Mulder didn't care. Between one moment and the next, he was pressed hard against his lover, covering his face with kisses, snuggling into the warm presence, burrowing against him. Body and soul forever lost, and not wanting to be found.

******

Alex followed Scully and Amara reluctantly into the cell block. He didn't really want to see the wrecked mind that had once been his adored lover. He knew that Mulder felt differently, would never give up hope. But when had life ever gone smoothly for Alex Krycek? He had even fucked up his relationship with Mulder, flinging anger at him when he should have given support.

So when Scully entered the cell first and gasped in astonishment, the wild beating of his heart came as a surprise to him. He lunged past her, moving in a protective instinct. And stopped dead. Mulder was sitting on Kulain's lap, clothes disordered, arms twined around Kulain's neck, and long legs awkwardly astride his body. Snuggled into him, as if he wasn't one of the most dangerous beings alive.

"Mulder!" Scully shouted , and the agent began to stir, rubbing his head, cat-like against Kulain's chest. Amara smiled. Green demon eyes lifted up, to transfix Alex, and the trace of a tired smile flickered across Kulain's beautiful face. A look meant for Alex alone. Alex forgot everything, his anger, his loneliness, even his wariness, and flung himself forward, joining Mulder in his own form of worship, kissing and touching Kulain. Seeing Kulain, with his two humans, Amara moved forward and drew away the strange energy bindings imprisoning the demon. His arms went up around Alex and Mulder, and the two lost and lonely humans once again found the centre of their universe.

Amara drew Scully away so that the three could have privacy for their reunion. Her eyes gleamed at the feel of soft and beautiful fingers clutching her arm. Things were looking up!

********

Much later, in Mulder's apartment, both humans nestled against Kulain. Mulder rested his head against Kulain's chest, clinging to him, and Alex leaned in to one shoulder, letting Kulain gently stroke his hand through dark hair. Alex was watching Mulder, and the older man lifted his head, as if he could sense the scrutiny. Alex had often checked on Mulder's condition in his hospital room, but they hadn't talked since the awful night of their argument.

Alex looked into dark eyes. "I'm sorry Foxy. You were right." He bowed his head in shame. And Fox Mulder reached out and hugged him tightly. "You idiot! Don't you think I know how much you love me!" Alex kissed him and kept on kissing. Working his way over Mulder's chest. Mulder had always been able to set him on fire, and how he loved to burn! Then Kulain moved his powerful body, positioning behind a willing Alex, both of them knowing what their bodies needed. Alex clutched at Mulder as Kulain entered him.

"Oh god yes!" Alex cried out wildly as the demon's large cock worked its way slowly inside him. He began to moan, until Mulder seized his head, and covered the younger man's lips with his own, giving him a long, sensual open mouthed kiss. Alex wrapped his arms around Mulder, holding on to him as Kulain's powerful thrusts pounded in to him. Each time he was filled, his prostate scraped, there was an explosion of fire inside him, and Alex began to scream in ecstasy.

"Hold me Foxy! Oh! Yes! More!" Alex shrieked as he came, his hot cum shooting onto Mulder's chest. Kulain jerked suddenly and groaned as his own seed filled the human. He withdrew from Alex, who sagged forward against Mulder. Not for the first time in Kulain's arms, he had fainted with the force of his own orgasm. Mulder lovingly stroked the young face, so innocent in appearance, in the total relaxation that followed sex. Mulder gently lay Alex down on the bed. He found it so arousing, watching Alex taking his pleasure, being fucked by Kulain.

Kulain was watching him. He reached out a hand to the human, and Mulder gripped it tightly. "You've been through a lot Fox." The familiar voice was kind. "Do you want me to touch you?"

"Yes!" Mulder whispered. Kulain drew him close, and kissed the trembling human on the shoulder. Lips moved down to lick away, Alex's semen. Slowly beginning to work lower. A hand reached down to grasp Mulder's growing erection, and he sighed as Kulain's hand began to slide up and down it. A touch so light and sensual that Mulder began to relax into that indescribably good feeling it generated.

"Lie back. Let me take care of you," Kulain murmured. It was so easy to obey, to let those expert fingers work on his yearning body. The feel of Kulain's mouth closing over his cock, sucking the head, then taking him all in. He clung to his lover as he was licked, teased and drawn out, brought to the edge of ecstasy . Kulain's tongue flicked lower, teasing the sensitive skin round his balls, then gliding lower. Even as he realised what Kulain's intent was, his body was arching into the probing, penetrating tongue, screaming, surrendering to him finally. Coming in long, shuddering peaks, as the tension in his body was finally released.

He was cradled afterwards in his lover's powerful arms, tears sliding down his face. A hand brushed them away, soothing and kind. "I love you little Fox." Kulain's voice was soft, as lips brushed his forehead. "Always!"

Alex stirred, smiled in lazy afterglow at Mulder. "You O.K. Foxy?" Mulder pulled Alex against him, smiling. For the first time in ages, Alex saw that he looked relaxed and happy.

"Death by licking! Oh yeah!" Mulder purred. He leaned back against Kulain, safe and secure, enclosed in the protective circle of two beloved bodies close to his. Tonight they would keep the dreams away. Kulain smiled lazily at Alex and let his two humans nestle close to him and each other, as they drifted into sleep.

*Kulain had spent a considerable amount of time, in sweet and erotic lovemaking with Alex and Mulder. The latter of his two humans was so mentally and physically scarred that it would take many months of patience to repair the damage Ash had done. But tonight had been a start. Humans could be so fragile, and somewhere, a most uncharacteristic urge for his species had awoken. He wanted to protect and care for them. And more. His pair were sleeping now, entangled in each other's arms.*

He rose from the bed, and moved towards the shimmering fire that had appeared in the mirror. Amara watched his sleek movements as he approached. "You're well now Kulain! I claim a promise from you, my dear one. Don't leave me alone again. A world without you is a lonely place."

Kulain smiled without malice. "A world you leave intact is a lucky place, *shakushu*. This world is more amusing than many I've visited. I don't want you to conquer it. Try its delights, you may be surprised!"

"Those two mean that much to you, then? The older one gave you of his blood, to bind himself closer to you. And you let him take from you. But they seem such short lived creatures."

Kulain grinned malevolently . "Why don't you come with us? We have some enemies to catch, the ones that got us into this mess in the first place. I think it's time we educated them about our kind."

Amara inclined her head, acquiescing. "It would be good to hunt with you again, my beloved one."

*******

Chapter 4

*********

"Last time you brought us a demon Mulder! This time you've brought us a murdering fugitive from justice who can slice people open with his bare hands, and disappear into other dimensions when he pleases." Frohike looked wary.

Alex Krycek grinned. "Not quite. The Gate had nothing to do with me, a friend did it."

"We never did find out who!" Mulder said thoughtfully. Alex leaned back langourously in the chair. Mulder stood behind him, hands resting affectionately on his shoulders.

"You flirting again, Mulder? You sure do like it dangerous!" Langly shook his head.

Alex caressed Mulder's hand, let his fingers entwine with Mulder's, with the familiarity of long time lovers. He brought Mulder's hand to his lips and gently kissed his fingertips.

"I'm just getting the results of that search!" Byers said. "Sam Duncan -Doctor of Psychology. Graduated New York 1970. Spent time working for the CIA, and set up a private facility in Mississippi in 1978. This is odd! His hospital received 50 million dollars of Federal funding in the last two years, but no details are given on the project. Lots of bulk purchases registered to the facility, including lab equipment, chemicals, weapons shipments on a huge scale and three helicopters. Not exactly what you'd expect for a clinic that specialises in criminal psychology."

"This is no hospital Mulder! I think we've uncovered one of the governments secret experimental facilities!"

Alex felt Mulder tense. "We have to go there Alex. This may be the key to proving your innocence!"

"Yeah, but this time we take reinforcements. You think Kulain'll want to be left out of this one. Or a certain lady?" Alex looked so concerned for him that Mulder leaned on the arm of Alex's chair, and his lover slid an arm around the older man's waist.

"Tell me something, Mulder." Frohike said, "Your demon friend know you play around?" He nodded towards Alex. The two lovers grinned at each other.

"Er... he sort of joins in," Alex said slyly.

"Was the stay in a mental hospital a very long one?" Byers said.

"Attempted suicide by vampirism, wasn't it? You make us look normal Mulder!" Two sets of eyes glared at him, which didn't bother him in the least.

******

"Mulder," Alex murmured in his lover's ear, much later that night, "I do believe you're an exhibitionist. You enjoyed flirting in front of them!" Mulder kissed Alex enthusiastically for a few moments, then rested his head against the muscular chest. He could hear the distant, soothing sound of Alex's heartbeat, as he lay draped across his lover's body, in the aftermath of sex. They were curled together in a berth on a train heading towards Mississippi. Kulain and Amara were sharing the next door cabin.

"You think there's anything between them?" Mulder said softly. Alex knew immediately what he meant. He stroked Mulder's silky brown hair, and continued the caress, trailing his hand down Mulder's spine. Feeling the slight roughness of scar tissue beneath his stroking hand.

"I think whatever Kulain does in his sex life, he has enough left over for both of us, Mulder! He could probably fuck all three of us into exhaustion and still want sex! Every night!"

"I wasn't thinking about sex Alex. I love him, and I don't want to lose him again."

His partner sighed. "Leave it alone Mulder. If he doesn't say anything, then neither should we." He saw how insecure Mulder looked, and hugged him close. "If I get a chance, I'll ask him. Alright." Mulder acquiesced, and lay as close to Alex as was physically possible, finally tiredness drawing him down into sleep.

*******

Mulder's screams woke Alex from a deep sleep sometime in the early hours of the morning.

"No, no, no, no, no! Please Ash, don't!" Mulder fought against Alex as the younger man tried to wake him. His face was twisted in the most pathetic and terrified look Alex had ever seen. He flung his hands outwards to hold off something dreadful, and began to whimper pitifully. Then finally Alex's efforts seemed to pay off, and brown eyes flew open, seemed to realise where he was. Mulder's face crumpled, and sobs wracked his body as he clung to Alex.

Gradually, his body stilled, as Alex soothed him. The haunted look was back in Mulder's eyes, when he finally lifted his head, to stare at Alex, resting his chin on Alex's chest.

"Bad, huh?" Alex soothed him.

"Oh yeah!" A renewed sob.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Alex prompted. Mulder had never told anyone the details of what had happened to him, though some of them were obvious.

There was a dreadful note of fear in Mulder's voice. "I keep getting that dream. The first time he raped me. The first time I didn't want him, but he took it anyway! Then, after a few times, I stopped fighting. And just let him use me... Why didn't I remember that before? He even made me forget my own rape..."

Alex was staring at him in horror. "I didn't realise! Foxy..."

"It's alright now. I killed him, and I'm here, and I'm not going to let him win!" He laid his head back down on Alex's chest, clutching him just a little bit tighter. "Hold me tonight Alex."

********

The news came through that morning, even as Alex and Mulder were having breakfast in the dining car. A call came through on Mulder's mobile phone, and he answered, face relaxing as he heard Skinner's strong tones on the other end of the phone. A startled look came over his face. "What! You're joking! Everything he did! Yeah, I'll tell him. Do I mention how annoyed you are about it? Sure, I'll pass that on. Bye."

Alex raised a questioning eyebrow. Mulder grinned, his former quiet, introspective mood forgotten. "Kulain's government friends have instructed the F.B.I. to forget everything he did on his killing spree. Apparently, he called them and made them some sort of offer last night that they couldn't refuse! Skinner is as pissed as hell about it!"

Alex returned the smile. It was about time something went their way. "I'd love to know what he offered them!"

"Would you indeed?" Kulain slipped into the vacant seat next to Alex. "A permanent gate for their use actually. I can't discuss the other details."

"Skinner told me to give you a message," Mulder said. "He thinks you're one hell of a manipulative bastard, and you'd better find a way to get Alex off the hook, or he'll never forgive you."

Kulain laughed. "I plan to do just that," he said in amusement.

A sudden silence from the other end of the dining car caused the two humans to turn and stare. Amara walked towards them, long pale hair plaited close to her head this morning. What was causing the stir was the skin tight, grey cat suit she wore, that enhanced absolutely everything; the effect was exquisite. She sat next to Mulder, the focus of most male and female eyes in the car. "Um, not exactly inconspicuous," Mulder murmured.

Alex laughed. "Who's going to remember your face now Foxy? No one's looking at you!"

Amara positively purred, evidently enjoying herself, and it didn't escape both men's notice that she looked very pleased with Kulain too.

"So what's the plan when we get to the hospital?" Alex said. "We'd better have something worked out. Kulain may be back in the F.B.I. but I'm a fugitive, and Mulder is on suspension until this case gets sorted out."

Mulder frowned. "Kulain will have to do the official business. I can go with him as an observer. Alex, you and Amara will have to try and get in to the closed off part of the site, and see what you can find."

The small woman looked curiously at Mulder. "You seem to give orders very readily, Fox Mulder." Kulain reached forward and gripped her hand. Grey eyes turned to look at him, and the two humans could almost feel the challenge between them, though not a word was spoken. Finally, she nodded in agreement, gave a sly glance at Mulder. "Very well, dear one, but I hope you know what you are doing." Mulder's eyes went very wide when he heard the endearment she used. For a moment, he sat, stunned, then fled from the dining car, desperately needing to be alone. With a small smile she rose from her seat, and strolled towards the observation car.

Alex stared after her for a moment. "She did that deliberately, didn't she?" he accused Kulain. "Why? What game are you playing with us? Mulder can't stand much more pain in his life!"

Dark green eyes looked into his, for a moment so far from humanity that Alex shivered, bowed his head. A hand reached out and gripped his chin gently, forcing him to look at his lover. "What do you expect from me, Alex? Humanity? You're forgetting what I am. I play my games to win, and you're in the middle of one now!"

Alex couldn't drop the subject. "Do you love her? Please tell me. We need to know. You're destroying Mulder with this."

"Yes I love her!" Kulain's voice was cold as ice. "And she's in the centre of a far bigger game than you could ever imagine." His voice softened. "Trust me just a little longer Alex. I promise you, I mean no harm to you or Fox. But if I lose the game, the consequences would be terrible for you." His face became shuttered, and Alex realised that the little woman was making her way back towards them.

Judging it prudent to make a quick exit, Alex went in search of Mulder. He found the agent huddled in their berth, staring silently out at the moving countryside, and the sluggish movements of the great river as they passed it by. Alex enfolded Mulder in his arms. "He asked us to trust him just a little bit longer, Foxy. I think he's worried about something, but he wouldn't talk in front of her."

"Remember my old demon book?" Mulder said quietly. Alex nodded. "Well, it said that the most feared of all the demons was the one who looked the most harmless. A small woman as pale as moonlight. It called her *She who destroys*. Even the writer of the book was cagey, but he advised anyone who met her to tread carefully. She scares me, she's so unpredictable."

*******

When they arrived at the hospital, late that afternoon, Kulain and Mulder were allowed into the Director of the hospital's office without an appointment. Cold eyes appraised the two visitors, then the Director smiled without humour, "We know about your alleged part in the murder of Sam Duncan. I can't say I'm happy to be playing host to you, Agent Mulder. However, we have nothing to hide here. Please feel free to look around. But I must ask you not to go into restricted areas of the hospital without an escort. We do have large numbers of the criminally insane here, and we wouldn't want to have an accident, would we!"

The two of them started on the ground floor of the huge complex, and started to hunt for and small clue that could point towards the truth. "He was a fool to let us just wander around," Mulder said to his partner. "We could find anything!"

Kulain shook his head. "He doesn't care what you find, Fox. He thinks you're going to be taken care of, one way or another!"

They passed a white door bearing a biohazard sign. Mulder did a double take. "Kulain, what does a mental hospital need with a *Gene Science Laboratory*? I want to look in there." He opened the door, and came face to face with a young looking scientist who took one look at them, and opened his mouth to raise the alarm. Suddenly the air in the laboratory became icy cold, and Kulain allowed shimmering darkness to flow down his body, shifting to show the scientist his demonic form. The man's cry died stillborn in his throat, he cowered in terror at Kulain's feet.

Kulain reached forward and grabbed the man by the throat. "Tell me what you do in this place, little human!" He inserted menace in his voice. "Quickly!"

"I study DNA!" The man whimpered. "I get samples and I analyse them. I liase with our allies and try to make sense of what they tell me.."

"What allies?" Mulder said.

"The aliens! The ones downstairs!" Mulder gasped. Then the scientist stared at Kulain, eyes narrowing. "You're the one aren't you. The one they fear! One of the Destroyers!" Mulder's head swung back and forth between Kulain and the geek. "I did the analysis on your hybridisation experiments. I had to work out what you were turning your humans into!" In a single movement, Kulain snapped the scientist' neck.

Mulder stared at his lover, stunned, shaking his head in denial. "No! Oh no...!" He began to back away, but Kulain moved faster than he would have thought possible. He caught Mulder's head, and sent his mind spearing into the human's consciousness. There was a brief resistance, but Mulder had long since surrendered himself to his lover, he had no defences against this. Kulain gently erased the last few moments from Mulder's mind, let the limp body sag against his, holding him with incredible tenderness. "Oh little Fox," he murmured into the dark hair. "I wish I could explain it to you. Just trust me."

After a few moments, he felt the human stir, hazel eyes stared at him, dazed. "What happened...I don't remember."

Kulain gave a slightly twisted smile. "He hit you on the head, you must have blacked out for a moment. I had to kill him though."

Mulder shook his head, trying to focus his thoughts. "Did he say something about aliens?"

Kulain nodded. "Just before he hit you. I think we should try to go to the lower levels. I think it might be the place they keep their secrets."

Mulder laughed. "How come I always end up sneaking through some underground tunnel, or cavern or basement, when I'm with you!"

"I've been taking rat lessons from Alex," Kulain said wryly.

********

It was relatively easy to get to the basement levels. Kulain displayed his latest talent, zapping the electronic keypads at each door with something resembling that dark energy Mulder had seen swirling round the Sith. Idly, Mulder wondered if there was a connection. Then they heard the sound of marching booted feet approaching. A quick glance around the corner showed Mulder a group of soldiers with semi-automatic weapons approaching.

"Shit! They're headed this way! We've got to hide! If they find us now, we'll never find out the truth." Mulder grabbed at Kulain's arm and pulled him away.

The two partners ran down the corridor, turned left at the end, and found themselves facing a dead end, their way barred by a huge metal door, inches thick. The sound of the approaching sentries grew louder. Frantically searching for a way out, Mulder's eyes fell on the metal grate set at knee height into the wall. "Get that open!" he hissed at Kulain. The demon blinked in surprise, then long, talons curled round the edge of the grill, and pulled it effortlessly off the wall. There was just enough room for someone to enter the air-duct system. Wriggling desperately, Mulder forced his body into the cramped space, then dragged himself clear on elbows and knees so that there was room for his partner. With a grin of amusement, Kulain tugged the grill back into place behind them. Then both agents froze into stillness, as they heard the sound of voices outside.

Soon, the noise moved away, and there was silence outside. Mulder pressed his head against the cool metal for a moment, letting the frantic beating of his heart slow. Then he glanced around him. The shaft led forward into gloomy distance, and somewhere ahead, he could hear the sound of machines, making deep, rhythmic echoes through the ducting system.

"You like to live an interesting life, Fox Mulder!" Kulain spoke softly. He was smiling, in a way that sent an arrow of lust straight to Mulder's groin. Mulder made himself turn away from those devastating eyes, forced down the desire that was threatening to overcome him. "I think we can get into the restricted area through this system," he said hoarsely. He started to crawl awkwardly through the ducting shaft, leaving Kulain to follow behind him.

Mulder was right; after what seemed like hours of crawling the agent found himself overlooking a vast room, through another grill. He gasped in disbelief at what he saw. An alien ship sat on the concrete surface, surrounded by dozens of those creatures he called Shapeshifters. All of them seemed frantically busy, loading up metal cylinders onto the ship. At intervals around the room, soldiers in fatigues stood fully armed with automatic weapons. But whether to protect the aliens, or intimidate them wasn't clear.

"Something interesting?" Kulain said softly.

Mulder turned to his partner. "Yes! We just found their ship! I knew there was more to this place than we could imagine." Kulain moved forward to look through the grill with Mulder. And suddenly, the human found himself being pressed against the smooth metal by the weight of his lover's body half on top of him. The space around them was too small for him to move away, no matter how much he wanted to. But he didn't want to! He wanted more of that warmth against him. His head arched back, and a low moan escaped his lips, as he pressed himself against Kulain. Why could Kulain always do this to him, even at the most inopportune moments? Even when he had one of his own kind to amuse him? The thought of Kulain and Amara together intruded into his mind. Pale hair would tangle with dark, as the two of them made love, his strong arms would hold her, in gentleness and in passion. A sense of misery overwhelmed him.

Mulder dragged his shattered thoughts together eventually, and tried to pull away from Kulain. He didn't want to be so close, to be reminded of what he was surely going to lose. He found that in the claustrophobic space he couldn't move, couldn't stop the disturbing feelings. An unwelcome, horrifying flashback... Ash had held him down... He whimpered in terror.

He was suddenly free. Dark eyes watched him with compassion. "If you don't want me to touch you, just tell me. I prefer willing and enthusiastic partners. Or hadn't you noticed!" 'There was a trace of bitterness in Kulain's voice.

Mulder closed his eyes for a second. Kulain had never harmed him, had always made sure he enjoyed their lovemaking. "It was just Ash again," he whispered, "Messing with my head again!" He turned to lie on his back, so that he could more readily look into his lover's face. "I'm so sorry!" He covered his face with his hands, trembling uncontrollably. And Kulain moved towards him, pulled Mulder into his arms and held the shaking human until the terror faded.

The two of them lay closer, after that, positioning themselves so that both could see the aliens below. They couldn't leave the shaft until the activity died down outside, so waiting was their only option.

"Alex said you love her..." Mulder heard himself say the words in disbelief. The thought had been running around in his head since Alex had told him, but he hadn't intended to press Kulain on the subject.

Green, demon eyes gleamed in the near dark. "I thought you might trust me a little more, Mulder!"

Mulder shivered. "If you want me to, I'll stay away. I'll do whatever you want... But please don't stop loving me.." He realised with shock that he was begging.

Kulain's reaction was unexpected. He smiled in amusement. "You little fool! Do you want to know *all* my secrets at once?" A hand reached out to pull at Mulder's zipper, and draw out his suddenly treacherous cock. "If you must know, it's not that kind of love! Amara and I have never been sexual partners and we never will be. She prefers women, and I prefer you!" Mulder listened in a daze, which rapidly turned into something else as Kulain's mouth began to apply pressure to the end of his cock. Warmth and swirling spirals of pleasure were working their way down his shaft, and he couldn't think anymore. There was only the fire in his body as it surged against that innovative mouth, letting himself be carried away by the sensuality of Kulain's touch. Kulain fumbled awkwardly with something in the cramped space. His trousers were tugged lower. Then a finger was slipped between his buttocks, and he was gently teased open, as slickness entered him. Momentarily, he tensed, then made himself relax, spreading his legs wider in response to that exquisite invasion. It was going to be alright. Kulain wanted *him*, not the dazzling Amara.

The slick fingers began to work their way inside him, opening him slowly, gently, utterly erotic. He tried to stifle his moans, jammed his hand in his mouth to stop himself from betraying their location to the world. The continued motion of fingers and mouth was so incredible, probing into intimate and secret parts of his body. His hips lifted again and again, thrusting uncontrollably into his lover, as Kulain's explorations found his prostate, and set up a steady rhythm, in time with his mouth. Mulder's senses overloaded, he came explosively, pumping his cum into the depths of his lover's dark mouth. He only realised afterwards, that he had a fresh bite mark to add to his growing collection. He had bitten into the fleshy part of his hand to stop himself screaming when he had orgasmed. Tenderly, Kulain drew the damaged flesh close to him, kissed it. Or perhaps gained some darker pleasure from letting his mouth brush against the bloody crescent. Then he healed it with another kiss.

"Shit!" Mulder whispered. "We pick the oddest moments to work on our relationship!" He lay back langourously, enjoying the softness of Kulain's hand stroking his hair.

Kulain's smile was satisfied. "Isn't fucking an F.B.I agent in a ventilation shaft an acceptable act? Human behaviour can be so complex. But you seemed to enjoy it!"

"Oh damn! You've been watching Jerry Springer again, haven't you?"

*******

Alex had spent the last ten minutes patiently cutting through the razor wire that surrounded the large complex of hospital buildings. The place was more like a prisoner of war camp, than a hospital. There were even guards patrolling every fifteen minutes, so he had to time his entry carefully, and leave time to disguise the hole he had cut in the fence. Finally, he wriggled his way carefully under the wire, and held it open so that Amara could pass through. It was more than a little muddy. A look of disdain crossed the beautiful face. Not a natural born rat like him then. In fact her only concession to clandestine activities was to bind her pale hair in a rather odd looking woolly hat. She didn't seem to have much colour sense that he had noticed. He wouldn't be caught dead wearing pink/puce.

Amara walked up to the fence, not seeming to care that the guards might return any minute. She extended a hand towards the wire. What happened next seemed totally bizarre to Alex. The air seemed to shimmer in front of her outstretched fingers, then reality just seemed to //warp//. The gap between the metal links of the fence expanded, as if the fence was made of elastic that was being pulled. Amara stepped through the gap, and looked down in amusement at the agent sprawled at her feet, stunned, still holding the wire up like an idiot. Alex glared at her, which seemed to give her a great deal of satisfaction. However one thing he had learned, working with more than his fair share of supernatural beings, was that it wasn't a good idea to annoy them. He prudently kept his mouth shut, which Mulder would never have believed!

The two of them hurried towards the building which seemed to be the focus of much activity. Machinery could be heard inside, and it seemed to have twice as many patrols as any other part of the site. Sneaking round the side of the building, Alex could find no way in that wasn't heavily protected.

"Can you do that trick of yours on this wall?" He gestured towards the bricks. With a look of contempt, the small woman motioned with her hand, and the wall warped outwards, cracking open to form an entrance of sorts. This time, when the odd twisting of the air stopped, the damage it had done was a little more conspicuous.

She shrugged, not at all apologetic. "Wire is more easy to //flex// than brick," she said. That unfortunately didn't give the two of them much time to search before the guards noticed a large hole in their wall.

Entering the building, Alex found himself inside a small office. He quickly searched it, shoving a few interesting items in his pocket, a handful of loose documents, carelessly left in the open, and two computer discs. Then they crept into the corridor. At least, Alex did. There was a sort of arrogance about Amara sometimes, that made Alex more than a little nervous. They headed towards the machinery noises, and eventually found themselves in a storage area full of metallic grey cylinders.

"What the hell is this?" Alex was perplexed. He fiddled with the catch on one, and managed to prise it open. And found himself looking into the face of a young woman, who had tubing running into her mouth, and was covered with some sort of slimy green discharge. Amara came closer, inspected the curious cargo of the cylinder. "Cold storage of bodies," she said softly. "Now why would they want to do that?"

"It makes them easier to ship offworld!" The cold voice behind him made Alex whirl, as he went for his gun. Too late, he found the business end of a machine pistol inches from his eyes. The group of soldiers behind the General fanned out to either side, so that at least ten guns were aimed at the two intruders.

"I'm General McGahan. You appear to have broken into this government facility. You're under military arrest. Try to escape and we'll shoot to kill."

Alex made a poor attempt at humour. "We just came in through the hole in the wall, after it fell down. Shoddy workmanship you have here. I understand the C.I.A. built it!" A soldier clashed the butt of his machine gun against Alex's temple, and his knees buckled, as white hot pain stabbed into his head. It was Amara who caught him. With surprising strength, her arm went around him, supporting his treacherous body, as his legs threatened to give way again. Cool eyes appraised the General.

"Why are they in stasis? Your allies don't need human specimens, they've been familiar with your species for millennia."

The General's eyes narrowed. "You seem to be remarkably well informed about our business here. Bring them!" He issued the order to his men, then turned and headed down the corridor. Jabbed with the guns, Amara supporting him still, Alex painfully stumbled in the direction the soldiers indicated. The sounds of machinery grew louder, then they eventually emerged in a huge chamber, at the centre of which was a large spacecraft.

A dozen alien eyes turned to look at the interlopers. And the General became positively effusive, full of apologies to their allies for the lapse in security. One alien, somehow more severe looking than the others, came to stare at them. "Place them in stasis, they will serve us well on the home journey." With an disdainful smile, the alien turned away. Alex tried to lunge at him, to rend him with demon claws, but a weird coolness, with a flavour of amusement, began to fill his mind. Stopping him from changing. Startled, he glanced at Amara, to see her smiling at him in amusement.

"Wait!" her tone was soft.

******

Mulder had been watching the scene below with something close to boredom, until suddenly he saw who had just been brought into the room by the soldiers. He felt Kulain tense, then quite clearly, the small woman lifted her head, and momentarily looked straight at them. "What do we do?" Mulder whispered. In response, Kulain gently loosened the grill, and slipped out of the duct, moving rapidly to hide behind more of the stacked cylinders. Mulder followed. The two of them managed to make their way down onto the floor, just opposite the ship entrance. Amara turned slightly, and Mulder saw she was supporting Alex, who was white faced, blood trickling down his face. Once again, she looked directly at Kulain and gave a slight nod.

The demon grabbed one of the cylinders, and with incredible strength, flung it at the group of soldiers. Three of them went down like skittles, the rest opened fire in all directions, nerves, and a fear of the aliens doing far more damage than Kulain could have alone. Many of the bounty hunters returned fire, and both sides were decimated. Amara let go of Alex, who swayed dangerously, but didn't fall. One hand pulled off the stupid hat she wore, letting her white hair flow free. She moved forward into the centre of the chamber.

There was utter silence from the group of aliens. Amara smiled malevolently at them. The leader stepped forward again. "So! The Destroyer of Worlds walks again! This world is ours! We'll annihilate you before we give it up!" Every single alien weapon in the room was aimed at her, and on the leader's signal, they were all fired.

Kulain swore. "Fox, get Alex now!" The urgency in his voice made Mulder run to his lover, risking himself in the process. His arm went around the younger man, and he started to pull him towards the room exit. "To me!" Again that note of tension in Kulain's voice. Mulder obeyed. Kulain caught up his two lovers, enfolding them in his arms. Alex moaned, his head slumping against Kulain's chest. Black fire surged up around the three of them. Mulder felt himself being enfolded in shimmering darkness, as close as a second skin, distantly erotic, so redolent of Kulain's presence. Amara glanced at the three of them, smiled openly; Mulder saw that her expression was joyous and... god... aroused. She was getting off on this! The alien weapon fire hadn't affected her in the slightest. She laughed softly. "All who challenge me perish!"

Amara flung her arms wide ecstatically, and her hair seemed to stream out around her in a cloud, swirling and shot through with sparks.

//COMBUSTION//

Amara became the centre of a firestorm. A vast fiery wave leapt out from her, consuming everything in its path. The whole world seemed to disintegrate around the two humans, as they were wrapped in Kulain's protective shield. The air burned, the very rocks beneath them burned. The ship, the hospital, land for a two mile radius around her, all was turned into incandescent flaming white hot gases that pulsed upwards miles into the sky, in a vast mushroom cloud. Cooler air and dust rushed in to the spot vacated by the vaporised hospital. A glowing crater, half a mile wide was the only indication that the place had ever been there. With a giggle, the normally cool Amara walked towards them through the dusty air. It didn't escape Mulder's notice that she levitated herself over the glowing rocks. Or that, incredibly, he and his lovers were also suspended at a safe distance above the fiery rocks.

She licked her lips, slid her hands across her body voluptuously and sighed. "Was it good for you too?" she purred at Kulain. "You were right. This world is *fun*. I think I will keep it safe." Then one finger extended and opened a gate in front of her. She stepped through and vanished. Kulain sighed tiredly, and took his humans through his own gate, back to Washington. They reappeared in Skinner's office, much to his secretary's terror.

While Kulain silently tended to Alex, Mulder was left to explain the sudden detonation of a nuclear sized blast in rural Mississippi.

The aftermath was a declaration by the government that nuclear terrorists had deliberately blown up the hospital to demonstrate "the evil of nuclear weapons", though it was harder to explain the total lack of radioactivity at the site. And Kulain's government friends thought much more carefully about how to keep him and Amara happy.

The papers Alex had shoved in his pocket were inconclusive, except for one reference to Sam Duncan. The good doctor had been providing the aliens with human specimens chosen from his patients. Until he had an attack of conscience and tried to get the F.B.I. to investigate. There was enough evidence for the case against Alex to be reviewed. It all came down to the one drop of blood the alien assassin had left behind to incriminate him.

*******

The Cigarette Smoking Man eyed his unexpected guest with interest. Agent Lane, as he was officially known. An enigmatic and incredibly dangerous figure. Many attempts at surveillance of this man had failed, as electronic surveillance equipment tended to short out after a few minutes in his presence. It was known that he had an unconventional personal life involving, of all people, Mulder and Krycek, and had some unusual abilities. For one thing, he had taken out The Cigarette Smoking Man's assassins in an incredible bloodbath. He was well connected in the Pentagon. And all plots to get rid of him had failed. Which was why it was so astonishing to have Lane here in his office.

"How can I help you Agent Lane? This appointment is so unexpected, I wasn't prepared for your visit at all."

Kulain scowled. "You've been spying on me!"

"But I spy on everyone. Besides, you seem to have the ability to destroy all of our surveillance equipment."

"You tested my D.N.A." Kulain said softly. His opponent's interest abruptly sharpened.

"Yes Agent Lane. Before you destroyed my labs. It was rather interesting to find out you aren't human, though I don't know what exactly you are."

Kulain obligingly //shifted//, showing his enemy more than he wanted to see of the supernatural. White faced, the Cigarette Smoking Man stared at the demon facing him.

"You tested some other blood," the demon growled.

"I see!" The Cigarette Smoking Man suddenly knew why Lane had come. "Do your lovers know what you've been doing to their genetic code?" he said softly. "At least I'm not trying to turn them into monsters!"

Kulain scowled. "I propose a deal," he said. "Stay away from me and my property, and I'll not interfere in your dealings with the alien filth. And no-one tells my humans about my little adjustments!" A sudden malevolent smile. "You've seen what my kind can do when we're angry!"

The Cigarette Smoking Man smiled. "We have a deal Agent Lane. A most satisfactory one." He picked up the phone and sent the order. The computer that had so conveniently identified Alex Krycek's DNA would have a malfunction, and all test results would be invalid.

*******

Alex had gone to see the Review Board, to see whether he would be reinstated as an F.B.I. agent. Mulder had already been restored to his former job in the Occult Investigations Team. So the outcome was fairly certain. He still felt unsettled though, and wandered into the bedroom, where Kulain was lazily reclining on the bed. Shafts of sunlight streamed through the blinds, patterning his naked body with shadow. Intense green eyes watched Mulder's restlessness. "You're worried about him." A softly spoken statement.

"Yes." Mulder moved towards the bed, and sank down next to his lover. Kulain lifted a sensuous hand, and stroked the side of his face. Mulder leaned into the caress, kissed the straying fingertips.

Kulain's smile deepened. "Perhaps you'd like me to take your mind off Alex for a while? Use up some of that excess energy."

Mulder grinned back at his lover. He slowly undid his shirt buttons, then his belt, letting his clothes slip to the floor. Watching Kulain's cock stir in arousal as he contemplated his human lover's deliberately seductive movements. Naked and curiously vulnerable, Mulder blushed under the intense scrutiny, and lowered his mouth to suck on Kulain's hard-on.

*His human's enthusiasm was quite delightful. The beautiful face was flushed with desire, the moist, full lips were eagerly devouring him. Alex had taught Mulder quite a lot about oral techniques recently, and he was becoming quite deft at it. He was much more confident now, the damage Ash had done to his mind was almost healed, apart from a few bad dreams. Perhaps it was time to test whether trust had been rebuilt between them yet.*

Kulain gently stroked Mulder's hair. The agent lifted his head and smiled beatifically at his lover. "You seem to be enjoying that." Kulain murmured softly. Mulder's face brightened, and Kulain traced a finger across the human's wet mouth. "When we were in Mississippi, you enjoyed something else we did together..."

Mulder remembered. The feel of Kulain's fingers sliding inside him, working their incredible magic within him. He moaned in desire. It had felt so good, had been so long since he had let anyone that close to him. Even with Alex, the thought of being entered had made him feel so scared. Kulain's touch was gentle. He sat up, and drew Mulder closer to him, enfolding the human in a protective embrace. The human leaned against him trustingly. "Nothing you don't want, little Fox." He let his fingers slide down over the human's back, feeling the horrific damage Ash had done. Then he spread lubricant on his fingers, and let his fingers begin to work on the tight entrance. Mulder groaned as he was entered, cautiously probed, spread carefully, and the talented fingers started to drive him out of his mind.

Kulain felt Mulder gradually relax into the movements of his hand, his body beginning to react to the hot pulse of arousal within him. Slowly teasing the human, feeling his lover's growing enthusiasm. Soon, the agent was moving his body frantically, making small sobbing cries, pleading with him not to stop. Kulain let Mulder enjoy the foreplay for a little longer. Then he withdrew his hand. Hazel eyes looked bewildered for a moment, then he pulled the human's body against his and gave his Fox a searing kiss, which was answered fiercely.

"I need... more." Mulder begged him. Kulain smiled. Things were progressing most satisfactorily.

"I want to be inside you, Fox" Kulain smiled gently, stroking the suddenly tense muscles. "You're on top Mulder. Whatever you want is up to you!" He leaned back sensuously. Mulder stared at the beautiful upraised cock, then abruptly lowered his mouth again and began to enthusiastically lick it all over. Kulain leaned back to enjoy his little human's ministrations. Hesitantly, Mulder kneeled astride his lover's body, then began to lower himself onto Kulain's cock. Feeling his body beginning to stretch wide open, as he worked it's thick length into him. Until finally, he was filled. He rested motionless, eyes closed, exploring the sensations of his own treacherous body. There was no fear or pain. Not like the last time... In fact it felt incredibly good. The slow sexual throb inside him. Instinctively he reached for that ecstasy, beginning to move his body in time to its rhythm. He heard Kulain groan in pleasure, and his eyes flew open. Strange how good it felt, to control the incredible, powerful being who was his lover. To bring him to gratification, with a simple movement of his hips. He was moving rapidly now, thrusting himself down hard, again and again.

He was close now, it had been so long, and it felt so good. With a scream, Mulder came, his body jerking uncontrollably as his semen jetted out of him in white spurts. And fell forward on top of Kulain, clutching at him weakly.

Kulain was still rock hard inside him.

Before the human had time to draw his shattered mind together again, Kulain flipped his body over so that he was on his stomach, then began to drive himself into his lover's open ass. Mulder tried to open his mouth to protest.

//No. This isn't being in control...//

And his body betrayed him, pushing upwards to meet those oh so arousing thrusts. He was coming again, already. And this time the demon gasped as he felt Mulder's internal muscles contract, and hot cum spurted into his human. Mulder moaned softly in disappointment as his lover withdrew. Kulain pulled Mulder into a comfortable position in his arms. Perplexed, the agent stared at Kulain.

"That was a dirty trick!" Mulder softly punched Kulain's shoulder in mock anger, and his lover grinned.

"You liked it!" There was no denying it. Kulain looked momentarily regretful. "Before our... recent problems, you loved to do that all the time. I hoped that you were ready to try again."

Mulder felt a moment of distant annoyance, then relaxed. "I trust you! Always! I guess I am ready to get a bit more adventurous now..."

"Wow! That sounds like my cue!" Alex was watching from the doorway. With a smile he came forward, slithering out of his clothes as he came. "By the way, you're looking at an innocent man, according to the review board."

"I bet you were surprised to find that out about yourself," Mulder retorted. Alex blinked in surprise, Mulder sounded so much like his old, cheerful self. Mulder and Kulain exchanged conspiratorial glances.

As Alex approached the bed, two sets of hands grabbed him, and he was dumped on his side between the two of them. Mulder lowered his lips, and began to attack Alex's cock, whilst Kulain began to explore him with probing, searching fingers. It didn't take long for the two of them to prepare his willing body. But it took most of the next three glorious hours to finish what they had started.

********

Mulder leaned over to kiss his exhausted lover's sweat slicked forehead. Alex had really been quite surprised by what Mulder had made him do. A repeat of his adventurous sex with Kulain. Of course Kulain had made a few demands of his own. Alex was definitely not innocent when it came to sex. Mulder smirked at the thought of ganging up on the younger man again. A dark corner of his mind had quite enjoyed hearing Alex pleading for orgasm. He drowsed, curled up next to his lovers, feeling oddly energised.

******

Kulain felt the call in the back of his mind, and a little irritated, went over to the bedroom mirror. Amara's lovely face appeared in its depths. "What is it?" He let his impatience show

She smirked, knowing what he had been up to. "Now that you've finished playing with your pets, we have business to discuss. Your government has offered me a place at this *Quantico* facility, they seemed quite interested in my psi abilities. I gather you told them I knew how to train that ability in their agents."

Kulain shrugged. "You'll like it there. There are always a lot of attractive women to keep you busy." A questioning noise from behind him made Kulain turn. Mulder came over to him, eyes wide with surprise at the woman's face floating in his mirror. He slid a protective arm around his Fox in reassurance, drew the human down towards him. Mulder's arms hugged him close.

Amara looked amused. "I'm no threat to your little pets Kulain. They're really quite pretty, both of them." She laughed. "Perhaps we should do a swap sometime, I have a rather nice blonde... And besides, if I'm staying here, I might decide to start a family. He looks healthy enough to serve me well." Mulder's eyes went wide with outrage, and he opened his mouth to protest vehemently at the thought of *HER* using him as a sperm bank.

Kulain glowered at her. "Never! You think I want my lover to give you children. Mother, you're warped!"

Mulder decided some things he really didn't want to know after all.


End file.
